diff --git a/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_file.inc.php b/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_file.inc.php
index 7c5760e378..f9758141e8 100644
--- a/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_file.inc.php
+++ b/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_file.inc.php
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ class etemplate_widget_file extends etemplate_widget
 		// Legacy multiple - id ends in []
 		if(substr($this->id,-2) == '[]')
 		{
-			$this->attrs['multiple'] = true;
+			$this->setElementAttribute($this->id, 'multiple', true);
 		}
-		$this->attrs['max_file_size'] = egw_vfs::int_size(ini_get('upload_max_filesize'));
+		$this->setElementAttribute($this->id, 'max_file_size', egw_vfs::int_size(ini_get('upload_max_filesize')));
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/etemplate/js/et2_widget_file.js b/etemplate/js/et2_widget_file.js
index c9ca789cdc..0caee7e4b5 100644
--- a/etemplate/js/et2_widget_file.js
+++ b/etemplate/js/et2_widget_file.js
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ var et2_file = et2_inputWidget.extend({
 		if(this.input[0].files[index]) {
 			var file = this.input[0].files[index];
 			if(file.size > this.options.max_file_size) {
-				error = this.egw().lang("File too large");
+				error = this.egw().lang("File too large.  Maximum %1", et2_vfsSize.prototype.human_size(this.options.max_file_size));
 			}
 		}
 		if(this.progress)