diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
index d4cfd26f50..e28ef0bdd3 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
@@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ Trunk (Unreleased)
     HADOOP-9847. TestGlobPath symlink tests fail to cleanup properly.
     (cmccabe via wang)
 
+    HADOOP-9740. Fix FsShell '-text' command to be able to read Avro
+    files stored in HDFS and other filesystems. (Allan Yan via cutting)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
     HADOOP-7761. Improve the performance of raw comparisons. (todd)
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/Display.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/Display.java
index eb8a8cfca2..143bf12db8 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/Display.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/Display.java
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.AvroFSInput;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FSDataInputStream;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileChecksum;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileContext;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileStatus;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.PathIsDirectoryException;
@@ -259,8 +261,9 @@ public AvroFileInputStream(FileStatus status) throws IOException {
       pos = 0;
       buffer = new byte[0];
       GenericDatumReader<Object> reader = new GenericDatumReader<Object>();
+      FileContext fc = FileContext.getFileContext(new Configuration());
       fileReader =
-        DataFileReader.openReader(new File(status.getPath().toUri()), reader);
+        DataFileReader.openReader(new AvroFSInput(fc, status.getPath()),reader);
       Schema schema = fileReader.getSchema();
       writer = new GenericDatumWriter<Object>(schema);
       output = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/TestTextCommand.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/TestTextCommand.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..49da6e137f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/TestTextCommand.java
@@ -0,0 +1,218 @@
+/**
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.hadoop.fs.shell;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.io.StringWriter;
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
+
+import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
+import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FSDataOutputStream;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.HdfsConfiguration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.MiniDFSCluster;
+import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+
+/**
+ * This class tests the logic for displaying the binary formats supported
+ * by the Text command.
+ */
+public class TestTextCommand {
+  private static final String TEST_ROOT_DIR =
+    System.getProperty("test.build.data", "build/test/data/") + "/testText";
+  private static final Path AVRO_FILENAME = new Path(TEST_ROOT_DIR, "weather.avro");
+  private static MiniDFSCluster cluster;
+  private static FileSystem fs;
+  
+  @Before
+    public void setUp() throws IOException{
+    Configuration conf = new HdfsConfiguration();
+    cluster = new MiniDFSCluster.Builder(conf).build();
+    cluster.waitActive();
+    fs = cluster.getFileSystem();
+  }
+
+  @After
+    public void tearDown() throws IOException{
+    if(fs != null){
+      fs.close();
+    }
+    if(cluster != null){
+      cluster.shutdown();
+    }
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Tests whether binary Avro data files are displayed correctly.
+   */
+  @Test
+    public void testDisplayForAvroFiles() throws Exception {
+    // Create a small Avro data file on the HDFS.
+    createAvroFile(generateWeatherAvroBinaryData());
+
+    // Prepare and call the Text command's protected getInputStream method
+    // using reflection.
+    Configuration conf = fs.getConf();
+    PathData pathData = new PathData(AVRO_FILENAME.toString(), conf);
+    Display.Text text = new Display.Text();
+    text.setConf(conf);
+    Method method = text.getClass().getDeclaredMethod(
+                                                      "getInputStream", PathData.class);
+    method.setAccessible(true);
+    InputStream stream = (InputStream) method.invoke(text, pathData);
+    String output = inputStreamToString(stream);
+
+    // Check the output.
+    String expectedOutput =
+      "{\"station\":\"011990-99999\",\"time\":-619524000000,\"temp\":0}" +
+      System.getProperty("line.separator") +
+      "{\"station\":\"011990-99999\",\"time\":-619506000000,\"temp\":22}" +
+      System.getProperty("line.separator") +
+      "{\"station\":\"011990-99999\",\"time\":-619484400000,\"temp\":-11}" +
+      System.getProperty("line.separator") +
+      "{\"station\":\"012650-99999\",\"time\":-655531200000,\"temp\":111}" +
+      System.getProperty("line.separator") +
+      "{\"station\":\"012650-99999\",\"time\":-655509600000,\"temp\":78}" +
+      System.getProperty("line.separator");
+
+    assertEquals(expectedOutput, output);
+  }
+
+  private String inputStreamToString(InputStream stream) throws IOException {
+    StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
+    IOUtils.copy(stream, writer);
+    return writer.toString();
+  }
+
+  private void createAvroFile(byte[] contents) throws IOException {
+    FSDataOutputStream stream = fs.create(AVRO_FILENAME);
+    stream.write(contents);
+    stream.close();
+    assertTrue(fs.exists(AVRO_FILENAME));
+  }
+
+  private byte[] generateWeatherAvroBinaryData() {
+    // The contents of a simple binary Avro file with weather records.
+    byte[] contents = {
+      (byte) 0x4f, (byte) 0x62, (byte) 0x6a, (byte)  0x1,
+      (byte)  0x4, (byte) 0x14, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x76,
+      (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x6f, (byte) 0x2e, (byte) 0x63,
+      (byte) 0x6f, (byte) 0x64, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x63,
+      (byte)  0x8, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x75, (byte) 0x6c,
+      (byte) 0x6c, (byte) 0x16, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x76,
+      (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x6f, (byte) 0x2e, (byte) 0x73,
+      (byte) 0x63, (byte) 0x68, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x6d,
+      (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0xf2, (byte)  0x2, (byte) 0x7b,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x79, (byte) 0x70,
+      (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x63, (byte) 0x6f,
+      (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x64, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x2c,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x6d,
+      (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x57, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x74,
+      (byte) 0x68, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x2c, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x61,
+      (byte) 0x6d, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x73, (byte) 0x70,
+      (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x63, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x73, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x2c,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x66, (byte) 0x69, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x6c, (byte) 0x64, (byte) 0x73, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x5b, (byte) 0x7b, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x6d, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x73,
+      (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x69,
+      (byte) 0x6f, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x2c,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x79, (byte) 0x70,
+      (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x73, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x69,
+      (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x67, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x7d,
+      (byte) 0x2c, (byte) 0x7b, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x6e,
+      (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x6d, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x69,
+      (byte) 0x6d, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x2c,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x79, (byte) 0x70,
+      (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x6c, (byte) 0x6f, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x67,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x7d, (byte) 0x2c, (byte) 0x7b,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x6e, (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x6d,
+      (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x6d, (byte) 0x70,
+      (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x2c, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x74,
+      (byte) 0x79, (byte) 0x70, (byte) 0x65, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x69, (byte) 0x6e,
+      (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x7d, (byte) 0x5d,
+      (byte) 0x2c, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x64, (byte) 0x6f,
+      (byte) 0x63, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x3a, (byte) 0x22,
+      (byte) 0x41, (byte) 0x20, (byte) 0x77, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x74, (byte) 0x68, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x20, (byte) 0x72, (byte) 0x65,
+      (byte) 0x61, (byte) 0x64, (byte) 0x69, (byte) 0x6e,
+      (byte) 0x67, (byte) 0x2e, (byte) 0x22, (byte) 0x7d,
+      (byte)  0x0, (byte) 0xb0, (byte) 0x81, (byte) 0xb3,
+      (byte) 0xc4, (byte)  0xa, (byte)  0xc, (byte) 0xf6,
+      (byte) 0x62, (byte) 0xfa, (byte) 0xc9, (byte) 0x38,
+      (byte) 0xfd, (byte) 0x7e, (byte) 0x52, (byte)  0x0,
+      (byte) 0xa7, (byte)  0xa, (byte) 0xcc, (byte)  0x1,
+      (byte) 0x18, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x31, (byte) 0x31,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x2d,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0xff, (byte) 0xa3, (byte) 0x90,
+      (byte) 0xe8, (byte) 0x87, (byte) 0x24, (byte)  0x0,
+      (byte) 0x18, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x31, (byte) 0x31,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x2d,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0xff, (byte) 0x81, (byte) 0xfb,
+      (byte) 0xd6, (byte) 0x87, (byte) 0x24, (byte) 0x2c,
+      (byte) 0x18, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x31, (byte) 0x31,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x2d,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0xff, (byte) 0xa5, (byte) 0xae,
+      (byte) 0xc2, (byte) 0x87, (byte) 0x24, (byte) 0x15,
+      (byte) 0x18, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x31, (byte) 0x32,
+      (byte) 0x36, (byte) 0x35, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x2d,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0xff, (byte) 0xb7, (byte) 0xa2,
+      (byte) 0x8b, (byte) 0x94, (byte) 0x26, (byte) 0xde,
+      (byte)  0x1, (byte) 0x18, (byte) 0x30, (byte) 0x31,
+      (byte) 0x32, (byte) 0x36, (byte) 0x35, (byte) 0x30,
+      (byte) 0x2d, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39,
+      (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0x39, (byte) 0xff, (byte) 0xdb,
+      (byte) 0xd5, (byte) 0xf6, (byte) 0x93, (byte) 0x26,
+      (byte) 0x9c, (byte)  0x1, (byte) 0xb0, (byte) 0x81,
+      (byte) 0xb3, (byte) 0xc4, (byte)  0xa, (byte)  0xc,
+      (byte) 0xf6, (byte) 0x62, (byte) 0xfa, (byte) 0xc9,
+      (byte) 0x38, (byte) 0xfd, (byte) 0x7e, (byte) 0x52,
+      (byte)  0x0, (byte) 0xa7,
+    };
+
+    return contents;
+  }
+}
+
+