diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.feature b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.feature
index 9c538bad1e..189ab287fe 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.feature
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.feature
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ Feature: CMS.Upload Files
     @skip_safari
     Scenario: Users can upload files
         Given I am at the files and upload page of a Studio course
-        When I upload the file "test"
+        When I upload the file "test" by clicking "Upload your first asset"
         Then I should see the file "test" was uploaded
         And The url for the file "test" is valid
+        When I upload the file "test2"
+        Then I should see the file "test2" was uploaded
+        And The url for the file "test2" is valid
 
     # Uploading isn't working on safari with sauce labs
     @skip_safari
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.py
index 6330f571a2..4385210c94 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/upload.py
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ def go_to_uploads(_step):
 
 
 @step(u'I upload the( test)? file "([^"]*)"$')
-def upload_file(_step, is_test_file, file_name):
-    world.click_link('Upload New File')
+def upload_file(_step, is_test_file, file_name, button_text=None):
+    if button_text:
+        world.click_link(button_text)
+    else:
+        world.click_link('Upload New File')
 
     if not is_test_file:
         _write_test_file(file_name, "test file")
@@ -39,6 +42,11 @@ def upload_file(_step, is_test_file, file_name):
     world.css_click(close_css)
 
 
+@step(u'I upload the file "([^"]*)" by clicking "([^"]*)"')
+def upload_file_on_button_press(_step, file_name, button_text=None):
+    upload_file(_step, '', file_name, button_text)
+
+
 @step(u'I upload the files "([^"]*)"$')
 def upload_files(_step, files_string):
     # files_string should be comma separated with no spaces.
diff --git a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
index 0dd3e24ed9..fa269f71a0 100644
--- a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
+++ b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ define([
 
     "js/spec/views/baseview_spec",
     "js/spec/views/paging_spec",
+    "js/spec/views/assets_spec",
 
     "js/spec/views/container_spec",
     "js/spec/views/unit_spec",
diff --git a/cms/static/coffee/spec/views/assets_spec.coffee b/cms/static/coffee/spec/views/assets_spec.coffee
index 40b8da5aa4..2a74b50c60 100644
--- a/cms/static/coffee/spec/views/assets_spec.coffee
+++ b/cms/static/coffee/spec/views/assets_spec.coffee
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-define ["jasmine", "js/spec_helpers/create_sinon", "squire"],
-(jasmine, create_sinon, Squire) ->
+define ["jquery", "jasmine", "js/spec_helpers/create_sinon", "squire"],
+($, jasmine, create_sinon, Squire) ->
 
     feedbackTpl = readFixtures('system-feedback.underscore')
     assetLibraryTpl = readFixtures('asset-library.underscore')
@@ -236,6 +236,33 @@ define ["jasmine", "js/spec_helpers/create_sinon", "squire"],
                 create_sinon.respondWithJson(requests, @mockAssetsResponse)
                 return requests
 
+            $.fn.fileupload = ->
+                return ''
+
+            clickEvent = (html_selector) ->
+                $(html_selector).click()
+
+            it "should show upload modal on clicking upload asset button", ->
+                spyOn(@view, "showUploadModal")
+                setup.call(this)
+                expect(@view.showUploadModal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+                @view.showUploadModal(clickEvent(".upload-button"))
+                expect(@view.showUploadModal).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+            it "should show file selection menu on choose file button", ->
+                spyOn(@view, "showFileSelectionMenu")
+                setup.call(this)
+                expect(@view.showFileSelectionMenu).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+                @view.showFileSelectionMenu(clickEvent(".choose-file-button"))
+                expect(@view.showFileSelectionMenu).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+            it "should hide upload modal on clicking close button", ->
+                spyOn(@view, "hideModal")
+                setup.call(this)
+                expect(@view.hideModal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+                @view.hideModal(clickEvent(".close-button"))
+                expect(@view.hideModal).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
             it "should show a status indicator while loading", ->
                 appendSetFixtures('<div class="ui-loading"/>')
                 expect($('.ui-loading').is(':visible')).toBe(true)
diff --git a/cms/static/js/spec/views/assets_spec.js b/cms/static/js/spec/views/assets_spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d376bde34e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cms/static/js/spec/views/assets_spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+define([ "jquery", "js/spec_helpers/create_sinon", "js/views/asset", "js/views/assets",
+    "js/models/asset", "js/collections/asset" ],
+    function ($, create_sinon, AssetView, AssetsView, AssetModel, AssetCollection) {
+
+        describe("Assets", function() {
+            var assetsView, mockEmptyAssetsResponse, mockAssetUploadResponse,
+                assetLibraryTpl, assetTpl, pagingFooterTpl, pagingHeaderTpl, uploadModalTpl;
+
+            assetLibraryTpl = readFixtures('asset-library.underscore');
+            assetTpl = readFixtures('asset.underscore');
+            pagingHeaderTpl = readFixtures('paging-header.underscore');
+            pagingFooterTpl = readFixtures('paging-footer.underscore');
+            uploadModalTpl = readFixtures('asset-upload-modal.underscore');
+
+            beforeEach(function () {
+                setFixtures($("<script>", { id: "asset-library-tpl", type: "text/template" }).text(assetLibraryTpl));
+                appendSetFixtures($("<script>", { id: "asset-tpl", type: "text/template" }).text(assetTpl));
+                appendSetFixtures($("<script>", { id: "paging-header-tpl", type: "text/template" }).text(pagingHeaderTpl));
+                appendSetFixtures($("<script>", { id: "paging-footer-tpl", type: "text/template" }).text(pagingFooterTpl));
+                appendSetFixtures(uploadModalTpl);
+                appendSetFixtures(sandbox({ id: "asset_table_body" }));
+
+                var collection = new AssetCollection();
+                collection.url = "assets-url";
+                assetsView = new AssetsView({
+                    collection: collection,
+                    el: $('#asset_table_body')
+                });
+                assetsView.render();
+            });
+
+            var mockAsset = {
+                display_name: "dummy.jpg",
+                url: 'actual_asset_url',
+                portable_url: 'portable_url',
+                date_added: 'date',
+                thumbnail: null,
+                locked: false,
+                id: 'id_1'
+            };
+
+            mockEmptyAssetsResponse = {
+                assets: [],
+                start: 0,
+                end: 0,
+                page: 0,
+                pageSize: 5,
+                totalCount: 0
+            };
+
+            mockAssetUploadResponse = {
+                asset: mockAsset,
+                msg: "Upload completed"
+            };
+
+            $.fn.fileupload = function() {
+                return '';
+            };
+
+            var event = {}
+            event.target = {"value": "dummy.jpg"};
+
+            describe("AssetsView", function () {
+                var setup;
+                setup = function() {
+                    var requests;
+                    requests = create_sinon.requests(this);
+                    assetsView.setPage(0);
+                    create_sinon.respondWithJson(requests, mockEmptyAssetsResponse);
+                    return requests;
+                };
+
+                beforeEach(function () {
+                    window.analytics = jasmine.createSpyObj('analytics', ['track']);
+                    window.course_location_analytics = jasmine.createSpy();
+                });
+
+                afterEach(function () {
+                    delete window.analytics;
+                    delete window.course_location_analytics;
+                });
+
+                it('shows the upload modal when clicked on "Upload your first asset" button', function () {
+                    expect(assetsView).toBeDefined();
+                    appendSetFixtures('<div class="ui-loading"/>');
+                    expect($('.ui-loading').is(':visible')).toBe(true);
+                    expect($('.upload-button').is(':visible')).toBe(false);
+                    setup.call(this);
+                    expect($('.ui-loading').is(':visible')).toBe(false);
+                    expect($('.upload-button').is(':visible')).toBe(true);
+
+                    expect($('.upload-modal').is(':visible')).toBe(false);
+                    $('a:contains("Upload your first asset")').click();
+                    expect($('.upload-modal').is(':visible')).toBe(true);
+
+                    $('.close-button').click();
+                    expect($('.upload-modal').is(':visible')).toBe(false);
+                });
+
+                it('uploads file properly', function () {
+                    var requests = setup.call(this);
+                    expect(assetsView).toBeDefined();
+                    spyOn(assetsView, "addAsset").andCallFake(function () {
+                        assetsView.collection.add(mockAssetUploadResponse.asset);
+                        assetsView.renderPageItems();
+                        assetsView.setPage(0);
+                    });
+
+                    $('a:contains("Upload your first asset")').click();
+                    expect($('.upload-modal').is(':visible')).toBe(true);
+
+                    $('.choose-file-button').click();
+                    $("input[type=file]").change();
+                    expect($('.upload-modal h1').text()).toContain("Uploading");
+
+                    assetsView.showUploadFeedback(event, 100);
+                    expect($('div.progress-bar').text()).toContain("100%");
+
+                    assetsView.displayFinishedUpload(mockAssetUploadResponse);
+                    expect($('div.progress-bar').text()).toContain("Upload completed");
+                    $('.close-button').click();
+                    expect($('.upload-modal').is(':visible')).toBe(false);
+
+                    expect($('#asset_table_body').html()).toContain("dummy.jpg");
+                    expect(assetsView.collection.length).toBe(1);
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    });
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/assets.js b/cms/static/js/views/assets.js
index d6381bca50..20f2c9b556 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/assets.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/assets.js
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
-define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset", "js/views/paging_header", "js/views/paging_footer"],
-    function($, _, gettext, PagingView, AssetView, PagingHeader, PagingFooter) {
+define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/models/asset", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset",
+    "js/views/paging_header", "js/views/paging_footer", "js/utils/modal"],
+    function($, _, gettext, AssetModel, PagingView, AssetView, PagingHeader, PagingFooter, ModalUtils) {
 
         var AssetsView = PagingView.extend({
             // takes AssetCollection as model
 
             events : {
-                "click .column-sort-link": "onToggleColumn"
+                "click .column-sort-link": "onToggleColumn",
+                "click .upload-button": "showUploadModal"
             },
 
             initialize : function() {
@@ -17,6 +19,8 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset",
                 this.registerSortableColumn('js-asset-date-col', gettext('Date Added'), 'date_added', 'desc');
                 this.setInitialSortColumn('js-asset-date-col');
                 this.showLoadingIndicator();
+                this.setPage(0);
+                assetsView = this;
             },
 
             render: function() {
@@ -24,6 +28,14 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset",
                 return this;
             },
 
+            afterRender: function(){
+                // Bind events with html elements
+                $('li a.upload-button').on('click', this.showUploadModal);
+                $('.upload-modal .close-button').on('click', this.hideModal);
+                $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').on('click', this.showFileSelectionMenu);
+                return this;
+            },
+
             getTableBody: function() {
                 var tableBody = this.tableBody;
                 if (!tableBody) {
@@ -47,9 +59,9 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset",
 
             renderPageItems: function() {
                 var self = this,
-                    assets = this.collection,
-                    hasAssets = assets.length > 0,
-                    tableBody = this.getTableBody();
+                assets = this.collection,
+                hasAssets = assets.length > 0,
+                tableBody = this.getTableBody();
                 tableBody.empty();
                 if (hasAssets) {
                     assets.each(
@@ -91,6 +103,92 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/paging", "js/views/asset",
             onToggleColumn: function(event) {
                 var columnName = event.target.id;
                 this.toggleSortOrder(columnName);
+            },
+
+            hideModal: function (event) {
+                if (event) {
+                    event.preventDefault();
+                }
+                $('.file-input').unbind('change.startUpload');
+                ModalUtils.hideModal();
+            },
+
+            showUploadModal: function (event) {
+                var self = assetsView;
+                event.preventDefault();
+                self.resetUploadModal();
+                ModalUtils.showModal();
+                $('.file-input').bind('change', self.startUpload);
+                $('.upload-modal .file-chooser').fileupload({
+                    dataType: 'json',
+                    type: 'POST',
+                    maxChunkSize: 100 * 1000 * 1000,      // 100 MB
+                    autoUpload: true,
+                    progressall: function(event, data) {
+                        var percentComplete = parseInt((100 * data.loaded) / data.total, 10);
+                        self.showUploadFeedback(event, percentComplete);
+                    },
+                    maxFileSize: 100 * 1000 * 1000,   // 100 MB
+                    maxNumberofFiles: 100,
+                    add: function(event, data) {
+                        data.process().done(function () {
+                            data.submit();
+                        });
+                    },
+                    done: function(event, data) {
+                        self.displayFinishedUpload(data.result);
+                    }
+
+                });
+            },
+
+            showFileSelectionMenu: function(event) {
+                event.preventDefault();
+                $('.file-input').click();
+            },
+
+            startUpload: function (event) {
+                var file = event.target.value;
+
+                $('.upload-modal h1').text(gettext('Uploading…'));
+                $('.upload-modal .file-name').html(file.substring(file.lastIndexOf("\\") + 1));
+                $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').hide();
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-bar').removeClass('loaded').show();
+            },
+
+            resetUploadModal: function () {
+                // Reset modal so it no longer displays information about previously
+                // completed uploads.
+                var percentVal = '0%';
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width(percentVal);
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(percentVal);
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-bar').hide();
+
+                $('.upload-modal .file-name').show();
+                $('.upload-modal .file-name').html('');
+                $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').text(gettext('Choose File'));
+                $('.upload-modal .embeddable-xml-input').val('');
+                $('.upload-modal .embeddable').hide();
+            },
+
+            showUploadFeedback: function (event, percentComplete) {
+                var percentVal = percentComplete + '%';
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width(percentVal);
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(percentVal);
+            },
+
+            displayFinishedUpload: function (resp) {
+                var asset = resp.asset;
+
+                $('.upload-modal h1').text(gettext('Upload New File'));
+                $('.upload-modal .embeddable-xml-input').val(asset.portable_url);
+                $('.upload-modal .embeddable').show();
+                $('.upload-modal .file-name').hide();
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(resp.msg);
+                $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').text(gettext('Load Another File')).show();
+                $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width('100%');
+
+                assetsView.addAsset(new AssetModel(asset));
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/cms/templates/asset_index.html b/cms/templates/asset_index.html
index 04f6cef0bb..b934aa6560 100644
--- a/cms/templates/asset_index.html
+++ b/cms/templates/asset_index.html
@@ -19,112 +19,16 @@
 
 <%block name="jsextra">
 <script type="text/javascript">
-require(["domReady", "jquery", "js/models/asset", "js/collections/asset",
-         "js/views/assets", "js/views/feedback_prompt",
-         "js/views/feedback_notification", "js/views/paging_header", "js/views/paging_footer",
-         "js/utils/modal", "jquery.fileupload"],
-        function(domReady, $, AssetModel, AssetCollection, AssetsView, PromptView, NotificationView,
-                 PagingHeader, PagingFooter, ModalUtils) {
-    var assets = new AssetCollection();
+    require(["jquery", "js/collections/asset", "js/views/assets", "jquery.fileupload"],
+            function($, AssetCollection, AssetsView) {
 
-    assets.url = "${asset_callback_url}";
-    var assetsView = new AssetsView({collection: assets, el: $('.assets-wrapper')});
-    assetsView.render();
-    assetsView.setPage(0);
+        var assets = new AssetCollection();
+        assets.url = "${asset_callback_url}";
+        var assetsView = new AssetsView({collection: assets, el: $('.assets-wrapper')});
+        assetsView.render();
 
-    var hideModal = function (e) {
-        if (e) {
-            e.preventDefault();
-        }
-        $('.file-input').unbind('change.startUpload');
-        ModalUtils.hideModal();
-    };
-
-    var showUploadModal = function (e) {
-        e.preventDefault();
-        resetUploadModal();
-        ModalUtils.showModal();
-        $('.file-input').bind('change', startUpload);
-        $('.upload-modal .file-chooser').fileupload({
-            dataType: 'json',
-            type: 'POST',
-            maxChunkSize: 100 * 1000 * 1000,      // 100 MB
-            autoUpload: true,
-            progressall: function(e, data) {
-                var percentComplete = parseInt((100 * data.loaded) / data.total, 10);
-                showUploadFeedback(e, percentComplete);
-            },
-            maxFileSize: 100 * 1000 * 1000,   // 100 MB
-            maxNumberofFiles: 100,
-            add: function(e, data) {
-                data.process().done(function () {
-                    data.submit();
-                });
-            },
-            done: function(e, data) {
-                displayFinishedUpload(data.result);
-            }
-
-        });
-    };
-
-    var showFileSelectionMenu = function(e) {
-        e.preventDefault();
-        $('.file-input').click();
-    };
-
-    var startUpload = function (e) {
-        var file = e.target.value;
-
-        $('.upload-modal h1').text("${_(u'Uploading…')}");
-        $('.upload-modal .file-name').html(file.substring(file.lastIndexOf("\\") + 1));
-        $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').hide();
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-bar').removeClass('loaded').show();
-    };
-
-    var resetUploadModal = function () {
-        // Reset modal so it no longer displays information about previously
-        // completed uploads.
-        var percentVal = '0%';
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width(percentVal);
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(percentVal);
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-bar').hide();
-
-        $('.upload-modal .file-name').show();
-        $('.upload-modal .file-name').html('');
-        $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').text("${_('Choose File')}");
-        $('.upload-modal .embeddable-xml-input').val('');
-        $('.upload-modal .embeddable').hide();
-    };
-
-    var showUploadFeedback = function (event, percentComplete) {
-        var percentVal = percentComplete + '%';
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width(percentVal);
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(percentVal);
-    };
-
-    var displayFinishedUpload = function (resp) {
-        var asset = resp.asset;
-
-        $('.upload-modal h1').text("${_('Upload New File')}");
-        $('.upload-modal .embeddable-xml-input').val(asset.portable_url);
-        $('.upload-modal .embeddable').show();
-        $('.upload-modal .file-name').hide();
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').html(resp.msg);
-        $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').text("${_('Load Another File')}").show();
-        $('.upload-modal .progress-fill').width('100%');
-
-        assetsView.addAsset(new AssetModel(asset));
-    };
-
-    domReady(function() {
-        $('.uploads .upload-button').bind('click', showUploadModal);
-        $('.upload-modal .close-button').bind('click', hideModal);
-        $('.upload-modal .choose-file-button').bind('click', showFileSelectionMenu);
-    });
-
-}); // end of require()
-    </script>
+    }); // end of require()
+</script>
 </%block>
 
 <%block name="content">
diff --git a/cms/templates/js/asset-upload-modal.underscore b/cms/templates/js/asset-upload-modal.underscore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d352ca3cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cms/templates/js/asset-upload-modal.underscore
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<div class="upload-modal modal" style="display: none;">
+    <a href="#" class="close-button"><i class="icon-remove-sign"></i> <span class="sr"><%= gettext('close') %></span></a>
+    <div class="modal-body">
+        <h1 class="title"><%= gettext("Upload New File") %></h1>
+        <p class="file-name">
+        <div class="progress-bar">
+            <div class="progress-fill"></div>
+        </div>
+        <div class="embeddable">
+            <label>URL:</label>
+            <input type="text" class="embeddable-xml-input" value='' readonly>
+        </div>
+        <form class="file-chooser" action="asset-url"
+              method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+            <a href="#" class="choose-file-button"><%= gettext("Choose File") %></a>
+            <input type="file" class="file-input" name="file">
+        </form>
+    </div>
+</div>