diff --git a/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/IObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs b/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/IObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
index 4b56ed1b..ed132889 100644
--- a/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/IObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
+++ b/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/IObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
@@ -34,8 +34,17 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -47,8 +56,19 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, in a specific format
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -61,8 +81,19 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, using a specific format and reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
+        IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns the contents of a file or directory in a repository.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/ObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs b/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/ObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
index ca2889e4..8c7dde33 100644
--- a/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/ObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
+++ b/Octokit.Reactive/Clients/ObservableRepositoryContentsClient.cs
@@ -59,11 +59,23 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         public IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name)
         {
             return GetArchiveLink(owner, name, ArchiveFormat.Tarball, string.Empty);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        public IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name)
+        {
+            return _client.Repository.Content.GetArchive(owner, name).ToObservable();
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -75,11 +87,25 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         public IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat)
         {
             return GetArchiveLink(owner, name, archiveFormat, String.Empty);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, in a specific format
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        public IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat)
+        {
+            return _client.Repository.Content.GetArchive(owner, name, archiveFormat).ToObservable();
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -92,6 +118,7 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         public IObservable<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference)
         {
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(owner, "owner");
@@ -100,6 +127,19 @@ namespace Octokit.Reactive
             return _client.Repository.Content.GetArchiveLink(owner, name, archiveFormat, reference).ToObservable();
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, using a specific format and reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
+        public IObservable<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference)
+        {
+            return _client.Repository.Content.GetArchive(owner, name, archiveFormat, reference).ToObservable();
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns the contents of a file or directory in a repository.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Octokit.Tests.Integration/Clients/RepositoryContentsClientTests.cs b/Octokit.Tests.Integration/Clients/RepositoryContentsClientTests.cs
index 707c4c47..d2d0bf9d 100644
--- a/Octokit.Tests.Integration/Clients/RepositoryContentsClientTests.cs
+++ b/Octokit.Tests.Integration/Clients/RepositoryContentsClientTests.cs
@@ -115,43 +115,43 @@ namespace Octokit.Tests.Integration.Clients
             }
         }
 
-        [IntegrationTest]
-        public async Task GetsArchiveLinkAsTarball()
+        [IntegrationTest(Skip = "this will probably take too long")]
+        public async Task GetsArchiveAsTarball()
         {
             var github = Helper.GetAuthenticatedClient();
 
-            var archiveLink = await github
+            var archive = await github
                 .Repository
                 .Content
-                .GetArchiveLink("octokit", "octokit.net");
+                .GetArchive("octokit", "octokit.net");
 
-            Assert.Equal("https://codeload.github.com/octokit/octokit.net/legacy.tar.gz/master", archiveLink);
+            Assert.NotEmpty(archive);
         }
 
         [IntegrationTest]
-        public async Task GetsArchiveLinkAsZipball()
+        public async Task GetsArchiveAsZipball()
         {
             var github = Helper.GetAuthenticatedClient();
 
-            var archiveLink = await github
+            var archive = await github
                 .Repository
                 .Content
-                .GetArchiveLink("octokit", "octokit.net", ArchiveFormat.Zipball, "");
+                .GetArchive("octokit", "octokit.net", ArchiveFormat.Zipball, "");
 
-            Assert.Equal("https://codeload.github.com/octokit/octokit.net/legacy.zip/master", archiveLink);
+            Assert.NotEmpty(archive);
         }
 
         [IntegrationTest]
-        public async Task GetsArchiveLinkForReleaseBranchAsTarball()
+        public async Task GetsArchiveForReleaseBranchAsTarball()
         {
             var github = Helper.GetAuthenticatedClient();
 
-            var archiveLink = await github
+            var archive = await github
                 .Repository
                 .Content
-                .GetArchiveLink("alfhenrik", "ScriptCs.OctoKit", ArchiveFormat.Tarball, "dev");
+                .GetArchive("alfhenrik", "ScriptCs.OctoKit", ArchiveFormat.Tarball, "dev");
 
-            Assert.Equal("https://codeload.github.com/alfhenrik/ScriptCs.OctoKit/legacy.tar.gz/dev", archiveLink);
+            Assert.NotEmpty(archive);
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Octokit/Clients/IRepositoryContentsClient.cs b/Octokit/Clients/IRepositoryContentsClient.cs
index 45a217b0..fc2ba027 100644
--- a/Octokit/Clients/IRepositoryContentsClient.cs
+++ b/Octokit/Clients/IRepositoryContentsClient.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Octokit.Internal;
@@ -57,8 +58,18 @@ namespace Octokit
         /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         Task<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -70,8 +81,19 @@ namespace Octokit
         /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         Task<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, in a specific format
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -84,8 +106,20 @@ namespace Octokit
         /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
         /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
         /// <returns></returns>
+        [Obsolete("Use GetArchive to download the archive instead")]
         Task<string> GetArchiveLink(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference);
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, using a specific format and reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a commit that creates a new file in a repository.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Octokit/Clients/RepositoryContentsClient.cs b/Octokit/Clients/RepositoryContentsClient.cs
index 7b867f01..ae252ebb 100644
--- a/Octokit/Clients/RepositoryContentsClient.cs
+++ b/Octokit/Clients/RepositoryContentsClient.cs
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ namespace Octokit
             return GetArchiveLink(owner, name, ArchiveFormat.Tarball, string.Empty);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        public Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name)
+        {
+            return GetArchive(owner, name, ArchiveFormat.Tarball, string.Empty);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -105,6 +117,19 @@ namespace Octokit
             return GetArchiveLink(owner, name, archiveFormat, string.Empty);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, in a specific format
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        public Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat)
+        {
+            return GetArchive(owner, name, archiveFormat, string.Empty);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This method will return a 302 to a URL to download a tarball or zipball archive for a repository.
         /// Please make sure your HTTP framework is configured to follow redirects or you will need to use the 
@@ -125,6 +150,27 @@ namespace Octokit
             return ApiConnection.GetRedirect(ApiUrls.RepositoryArchiveLink(owner, name, archiveFormat, reference));
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Get an archive of a given repository's contents, using a specific format and reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>https://developer.github.com/v3/repos/contents/#get-archive-link</remarks>
+        /// <param name="owner">The owner of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="name">The name of the repository</param>
+        /// <param name="archiveFormat">The format of the archive. Can be either tarball or zipball</param>
+        /// <param name="reference">A valid Git reference.</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        public async Task<byte[]> GetArchive(string owner, string name, ArchiveFormat archiveFormat, string reference)
+        {
+            Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(owner, "owner");
+            Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(name, "name");
+
+            var endpoint = ApiUrls.RepositoryArchiveLink(owner, name, archiveFormat, reference);
+
+            var response = await Connection.Get<byte[]>(endpoint, new Dictionary<string, string>(), null);
+
+            return response.Body;
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a commit that creates a new file in a repository.
         /// </summary>