diff --git a/api/app/controllers/spree/api/images_controller.rb b/api/app/controllers/spree/api/images_controller.rb
index c18a9b757d1..04524993770 100644
--- a/api/app/controllers/spree/api/images_controller.rb
+++ b/api/app/controllers/spree/api/images_controller.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ def show
 
       def create
         authorize! :create, Image
-        @image = scope.images.create(image_params)
+        if valid_url? image_params[:attachment]
+          @image = scope.images.create(attachment: open(image_params[:attachment]))
+        else
+          @image = scope.images.create(image_params)
+        end
         respond_with(@image, status: 201, default_template: :show)
       end
 
@@ -44,6 +48,13 @@ def scope
           Spree::Variant.find(params[:variant_id])
         end
       end
+
+      def valid_url?(url)
+        uri = URI.parse url
+        uri.is_a?(URI::HTTP) && !uri.host.blank?
+        rescue URI::InvalidURIError
+        false
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/api/spec/requests/spree/api/images_controller_spec.rb b/api/spec/requests/spree/api/images_controller_spec.rb
index 6465005058d..63700922a4c 100644
--- a/api/spec/requests/spree/api/images_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/api/spec/requests/spree/api/images_controller_spec.rb
@@ -17,20 +17,34 @@ module Spree
 
     context "as an admin" do
       sign_in_as_admin!
+      context "can upload a new image"
+        it "for a variant" do
+          expect do
+            post spree.api_product_images_path(product.id), params: {
+              image: {
+                attachment: upload_image('thinking-cat.jpg'),
+                viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant',
+                viewable_id: product.master.to_param
+              },
+            }
+            expect(response.status).to eq(201)
+            expect(json_response).to have_attributes(attributes)
+          end.to change(Image, :count).by(1)
+        end
 
-      it "can upload a new image for a variant" do
-        expect do
-          post spree.api_product_images_path(product.id), params: {
-            image: {
-              attachment: upload_image('thinking-cat.jpg'),
-              viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant',
-              viewable_id: product.master.to_param
-            },
-          }
-          expect(response.status).to eq(201)
-          expect(json_response).to have_attributes(attributes)
-        end.to change(Image, :count).by(1)
-      end
+        it "from a valid URL" do
+          expect do
+            post spree.api_product_images_path(product.id), params: {
+              image: {
+                attachment: 'https://www.google.com/images/branding/googlelogo/2x/googlelogo_color_92x30dp.png',
+                viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant',
+                viewable_id: product.master.to_param
+              },
+            }
+            expect(response.status).to eq(201)
+            expect(json_response).to have_attributes(attributes)
+          end.to change(Image, :count).by(1)
+        end
 
       context "working with an existing product image" do
         let!(:product_image) { product.master.images.create!(attachment: image('thinking-cat.jpg')) }