diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServicePolicies.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServicePolicies.java
index a10bab1bb3..5cdfde2427 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServicePolicies.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServicePolicies.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public interface ContentServicePolicies
 {
     /** The QName's of the policies */
     public static final QName ON_CONTENT_UPDATE = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.ALFRESCO_URI, "onContentUpdate");
+    public static final QName ON_CONTENT_READ = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.ALFRESCO_URI, "onContentRead");
     
 	/**
 	 * On content update policy interface
@@ -41,4 +42,17 @@ public interface ContentServicePolicies
 		 */
 		public void onContentUpdate(NodeRef nodeRef, boolean newContent);
 	}
+    
+    /**
+     * On content read policy interface.
+     * 
+     * This policy is fired when a content reader is requested for a node that has content.
+     */
+    public interface OnContentReadPolicy extends ClassPolicy
+    {
+        /**
+         * @param nodeRef   the node reference
+         */
+        public void onContentRead(NodeRef nodeRef);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentService.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentService.java
index 030d4fff4b..9e3a0fc356 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentService.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentService.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
+import org.alfresco.repo.content.ContentServicePolicies.OnContentReadPolicy;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.ContentServicePolicies.OnContentUpdatePolicy;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.filestore.FileContentStore;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.ContentTransformer;
@@ -77,9 +78,10 @@ public class RoutingContentService implements ContentService
     private PolicyComponent policyComponent;
     
     /**
-     * The onContentService policy delegate
+     * Policies delegate
      */
     ClassPolicyDelegate<ContentServicePolicies.OnContentUpdatePolicy> onContentUpdateDelegate;
+    ClassPolicyDelegate<ContentServicePolicies.OnContentReadPolicy> onContentReadDelegate;
     
     /**
      * Default constructor sets up a temporary store 
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ public class RoutingContentService implements ContentService
     	
     	// Register on content update policy
     	this.onContentUpdateDelegate = this.policyComponent.registerClassPolicy(OnContentUpdatePolicy.class);
+        this.onContentReadDelegate = this.policyComponent.registerClassPolicy(OnContentReadPolicy.class);
     }
     
     /**
@@ -259,6 +262,16 @@ public class RoutingContentService implements ContentService
         reader.setMimetype(contentData.getMimetype());
         reader.setEncoding(contentData.getEncoding());
         
+        // Fire the content read policy
+        if (reader != null)
+        {
+            // Fire the content update policy
+            Set<QName> types = new HashSet<QName>(this.nodeService.getAspects(nodeRef));
+            types.add(this.nodeService.getType(nodeRef));
+            OnContentReadPolicy policy = this.onContentReadDelegate.get(types);
+            policy.onContentRead(nodeRef);
+        }
+        
         // we don't listen for anything
         // result may be null - but interface contract says we may return null
         return reader;
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentServiceTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentServiceTest.java
index 7fa15682fe..4e7cfb0f32 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentServiceTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/RoutingContentServiceTest.java
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ public class RoutingContentServiceTest extends BaseSpringTest
 	}
 	
 	private boolean policyFired = false;
+    private boolean readPolicyFired = false;
     private boolean newContent = true;
 	
 	/**
@@ -298,6 +299,35 @@ public class RoutingContentServiceTest extends BaseSpringTest
 		this.policyFired = true;
 	}
     
+    public void testOnContentReadPolicy()
+    {
+        // Register interest in the content read event for a versionable node
+        this.policyComponent.bindClassBehaviour(
+                QName.createQName(NamespaceService.ALFRESCO_URI, "onContentRead"),
+                ContentModel.ASPECT_VERSIONABLE,
+                new JavaBehaviour(this, "onContentReadBehaviourTest"));
+        
+        // First check that the policy is not fired when the versionable aspect is not present
+        this.contentService.getReader(contentNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT);
+        assertFalse(this.readPolicyFired);
+        
+        // Write some content and check that the policy is still not fired
+        ContentWriter contentWriter2 = this.contentService.getWriter(contentNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT, true);
+        contentWriter2.putContent("content update two");
+        this.contentService.getReader(contentNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT);
+        assertFalse(this.readPolicyFired);
+        
+        // Now check that the policy is fired when the versionable aspect is present
+        this.nodeService.addAspect(this.contentNodeRef, ContentModel.ASPECT_VERSIONABLE, null);
+        this.contentService.getReader(contentNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT);
+        assertTrue(this.readPolicyFired);
+    }
+    
+    public void onContentReadBehaviourTest(NodeRef nodeRef)
+    {
+        this.readPolicyFired = true;
+    }
+    
     public void testTempWrite() throws Exception
     {
         // get a temporary writer