diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5dde8372..f0a4f037 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ the express example).
 
 Serve index accepts these properties in the options object.
 
+
 ##### filter
 
 Apply this filter function to files. Defaults to `false`. The `filter` function
@@ -50,6 +51,17 @@ Display hidden (dot) files. Defaults to `false`.
 
 Display icons. Defaults to `false`.
 
+##### jsonStats
+
+Enables detailed information to be served via JSON when the request header includes `Accept: application/json`. Defaults to `false`.
+
+When this flag is disabled, JSON requests will return a simple array of filenames. With this flag enabled, JSON requests will return an array of objects, each containing objects with the following properties:
+
+  - `name` is the relative name for the file.
+  - `stat` is subset of the `fs.Stats` object for the file.
+
+The following "safe" properties will be present as file stats: `isFile`,`isDirectory`,`size`, `atime`, `mtime`, `ctime` and `birthtime`.
+
 ##### stylesheet
 
 Optional path to a CSS stylesheet. Defaults to a built-in stylesheet.
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 7b9d856c..3bf60f73 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ function serveIndex(root, options) {
   // resolve root to absolute and normalize
   var rootPath = normalize(resolve(root) + sep);
 
+  var jsonStats = opts.jsonStats || false;
   var filter = opts.filter;
   var hidden = opts.hidden;
   var icons = opts.icons;
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@ function serveIndex(root, options) {
 
         // not acceptable
         if (!type) return next(createError(406));
-        serveIndex[mediaType[type]](req, res, files, next, originalDir, showUp, icons, path, view, template, stylesheet);
+        serveIndex[mediaType[type]](req, res, files, next, originalDir, showUp, icons, path, view, template, stylesheet, jsonStats);
       });
     });
   };
@@ -222,13 +223,47 @@ serveIndex.html = function _html(req, res, files, next, dir, showUp, icons, path
  * Respond with application/json.
  */
 
-serveIndex.json = function _json(req, res, files) {
-  var body = JSON.stringify(files);
-  var buf = new Buffer(body, 'utf8');
+serveIndex.json = function _json(req, res, files, next, dir, showUp, icons, path, view, template, stylesheet, jsonStats) {
 
-  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
-  res.setHeader('Content-Length', buf.length);
-  res.end(buf);
+  if (! jsonStats) {
+    //return the simple file list with no stats
+    var body = JSON.stringify(files);
+    var buf = new Buffer(body, 'utf8');
+    res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
+    res.setHeader('Content-Length', buf.length);
+    res.end(buf);
+  }
+
+  else {
+    // stat all files
+    stat(path, files, function (err, stats) {
+      if (err) return next(err);
+
+      // combine the stats into the file list
+      var filesAndStats = files.map(function (file, i) {
+        var stat = {}; 
+
+        stat["isDirectory"] = stats[i].isDirectory();
+        stat["isFile"] = stats[i].isFile();
+
+        //next select only the safe and non-machine-specific fields from the stat
+        var safeFields = ["size", "atime", "mtime", "ctime", "birthtime"]
+        safeFields.forEach(function (field) {
+          stat[field] = stats[i][field];
+        });
+
+        return { name: file, stat: stat };
+      });
+
+
+      //return the file list with stats
+      var body = JSON.stringify(filesAndStats);
+      var buf = new Buffer(body, 'utf8');
+      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
+      res.setHeader('Content-Length', buf.length);
+      res.end(buf);
+    });
+  }
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 408ba92d..c6db85a8 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -677,6 +677,74 @@ describe('serveIndex(root)', function () {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('when Accept: application/json is given', function () {
+    describe('when requesting file stats via JSON', function() {
+      it('should correctly identify files and directories', function (done) {
+
+        var server = createServer(fixtures, {'jsonStats': true});
+
+        request(server)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Accept', 'application/json')
+        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
+        .expect(hasTodoStats)
+        .expect(hasUserStats)
+        .expect(200, done);
+
+        function hasTodoStats(res) {
+          //check the todo.txt record
+          var todo = res.body.find(function(value) {
+            return value.name == "todo.txt";
+          })
+
+          if (! todo.stat.size == 11)
+            throw new Error("'todo.txt' size should be 11");
+          if (! todo.stat.isFile)
+            throw new Error("'todo.txt' isFile should be true");
+          if (todo.stat.isDirectory)
+            throw new Error("'todo.txt' isDirectory should be false");
+        }
+
+        function hasUserStats(res) {         
+          //check the users record 
+          var users = res.body.find(function(value) {
+            return value.name == "users";
+          });
+
+          if (users.stat.isFile)
+            throw new Error("'users' isFile should be false");
+          if (!users.stat.isDirectory)
+            throw new Error("'users' isDirectory should be true");
+        }
+      });
+
+      it('should not return unsafe stats', function (done) {
+
+        var server = createServer(fixtures, {'jsonStats': true});
+
+        request(server)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Accept', 'application/json')
+        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
+        .expect(noUnsafeStats)
+        .expect(200, done);
+
+        function noUnsafeStats(res) {          
+          var safeFields = ["isFile","isDirectory","size", "atime", "mtime", "ctime", "birthtime"];
+
+          res.body.forEach(function (item) {
+            safeFields.forEach(function (field) {
+              delete item.stat[field];
+            });
+
+            if (Object.keys(item.stat).length>0)
+              throw new Error("stats contains unsafe keys");
+          });
+        }
+      });
+
+    });
+  });
   describe('when set with trailing slash', function () {
     var server;
     before(function () {