diff --git a/freqtrade/optimize/__init__.py b/freqtrade/optimize/__init__.py
index a0eb5b8a2..803c721a9 100644
--- a/freqtrade/optimize/__init__.py
+++ b/freqtrade/optimize/__init__.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from freqtrade.analyze import populate_indicators, parse_ticker_dataframe
 
 from freqtrade import misc
 from user_data.hyperopt_conf import hyperopt_optimize_conf
+import gzip
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -38,13 +39,19 @@ def load_tickerdata_file(datadir, pair, ticker_interval,
         pair=pair,
         ticker_interval=ticker_interval,
     )
-    # The file does not exist we download it
-    if not os.path.isfile(file):
+    gzipfile = file + '.gz'
+
+    # If the file does not exist we download it when None is returned.
+    # If file exists, read the file, load the json
+    if os.path.isfile(gzipfile):
+        with gzip.open(gzipfile) as tickerdata:
+            pairdata = json.load(tickerdata)
+    elif os.path.isfile(file):
+        with open(file) as tickerdata:
+            pairdata = json.load(tickerdata)
+    else:
         return None
 
-    # Read the file, load the json
-    with open(file) as tickerdata:
-        pairdata = json.load(tickerdata)
     if timerange:
         pairdata = trim_tickerlist(pairdata, timerange)
     return pairdata
diff --git a/freqtrade/tests/optimize/test_optimize.py b/freqtrade/tests/optimize/test_optimize.py
index 646959669..808e4aa70 100644
--- a/freqtrade/tests/optimize/test_optimize.py
+++ b/freqtrade/tests/optimize/test_optimize.py
@@ -202,9 +202,14 @@ def test_download_backtesting_testdata2(mocker):
 
 
 def test_load_tickerdata_file():
+    # 7 does not exist in either format.
     assert not load_tickerdata_file(None, 'BTC_UNITEST', 7)
+    # 1 exists only as a .json
     tickerdata = load_tickerdata_file(None, 'BTC_UNITEST', 1)
     assert _BTC_UNITTEST_LENGTH == len(tickerdata)
+    # 8 .json is empty and will fail if it's loaded. .json.gz is a copy of 1.json
+    tickerdata = load_tickerdata_file(None, 'BTC_UNITEST', 8)
+    assert _BTC_UNITTEST_LENGTH == len(tickerdata)
 
 
 def test_init(default_conf, mocker):
diff --git a/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json b/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4766ad4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[
+  {"O": 0.00162008, "H": 0.00162008, "L": 0.00162008, "C": 0.00162008, "V": 108.14853839, "T": "2017-11-04T23:02:00", "BV": 0.17520927}
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json.gz b/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json.gz
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..38194582c
Binary files /dev/null and b/freqtrade/tests/testdata/BTC_UNITEST-8.json.gz differ