diff --git a/legacy/ethumb/configure.ac b/legacy/ethumb/configure.ac
index ff6cfc56a1..c08646a9ad 100644
--- a/legacy/ethumb/configure.ac
+++ b/legacy/ethumb/configure.ac
@@ -195,6 +195,27 @@ fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_LIBEXIF, test $HAVE_LIBEXIF = yes)
 AC_SUBST(HAVE_LIBEXIF)
 
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE(
+   [AC_LANG_PROGRAM(
+       [[
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/xattr.h>
+       ]],
+       [[
+size_t tmp = listxattr("/", NULL, 0);
+tmp = getxattr("/", "user.ethumb.md5", NULL, 0);
+setxattr("/", "user.ethumb.md5", NULL, 0, 0);
+       ]])],
+    [
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_XATTR, 1, [Define to 1 if you have 'listxattr', 'setxattr' and 'getxattr'])
+      have_xattr="yes"
+    ],
+    [have_xattr="no"])
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Xattr])
+AC_MSG_RESULT([${have_xattr}])
+
 AC_SUBST(requirement_ethumb)
 AC_SUBST(requirement_ethumb_client)
 AC_SUBST(dbusservicedir)
@@ -248,6 +269,7 @@ Summary:
 
 Configuration Options Summary:
 
+ * use xattr........: ${have_xattr}
  * maximum log level: ${with_max_log_level}
  * documentation....: ${build_doc}
 
diff --git a/legacy/ethumb/src/lib/Ethumb.c b/legacy/ethumb/src/lib/Ethumb.c
index 7035ea2196..953215a874 100644
--- a/legacy/ethumb/src/lib/Ethumb.c
+++ b/legacy/ethumb/src/lib/Ethumb.c
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ void *alloca (size_t);
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_XATTR
+# include <sys/xattr.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifndef PATH_MAX
 # define PATH_MAX 4096
 #endif
@@ -824,6 +828,27 @@ _ethumb_generate_hash(const char *file)
   char *t;
   const unsigned char *c;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_XATTR
+  ssize_t length;
+
+  length = getxattr(file, "user.e.md5", NULL, 0);
+
+  if (length > 0)
+    {
+       char *tmp;
+
+       tmp = alloca(length);
+       length = getxattr(file, "user.e.md5", tmp, length);
+
+       /* check if we have at least something that look like a md5 hash */
+       if (length > 0 && (length == MD5_HASHBYTES * 2 + 1))
+         {
+            tmp[length] = '\0';
+            return eina_stringshare_add(tmp);
+         }
+    }
+#endif
+
 #define _check_uri_char(c) \
   ((c) >= 32 && (c) < 128 && (ACCEPTABLE_URI_CHARS[(c) - 32] & 0x08))
 
@@ -859,6 +884,10 @@ _ethumb_generate_hash(const char *file)
     }
   md5out[2 * n] = '\0';
 
+#ifdef HAVE_XATTR
+  setxattr(file, "user.e.md5", md5out, 2 * n + 1, 0);
+#endif
+
   DBG("md5=%s, file=%s", md5out, file);
   return eina_stringshare_add(md5out);
 }
@@ -924,7 +953,6 @@ _ethumb_file_generate_path(Ethumb *e)
    const char *ext;
    int fdo_format;
 
-
    fdo_format = _ethumb_file_check_fdo(e);
 
    if (e->thumb_dir)
@@ -957,7 +985,6 @@ _ethumb_file_generate_path(Ethumb *e)
    else
      ext = "eet";
 
-
    fullname = ecore_file_realpath(e->src_path);
    hash = _ethumb_generate_hash(fullname);
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s/%s/%s.%s", thumb_dir, category, hash, ext);