diff --git a/src/libstore/datatransfer.cc b/src/libstore/datatransfer.cc
index 9ed06b5c1..dbdf07ad4 100644
--- a/src/libstore/datatransfer.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/datatransfer.cc
@@ -706,6 +706,12 @@ DataTransferResult DataTransfer::download(const DataTransferRequest & request)
     return enqueueDataTransfer(request).get();
 }
 
+DataTransferResult DataTransfer::upload(const DataTransferRequest & request)
+{
+    /* Note: this method is the same as download, but helps in readability */
+    return enqueueDataTransfer(request).get();
+}
+
 void DataTransfer::download(DataTransferRequest && request, Sink & sink)
 {
     /* Note: we can't call 'sink' via request.dataCallback, because
diff --git a/src/libstore/datatransfer.hh b/src/libstore/datatransfer.hh
index f2ea53ae3..68d97ceb1 100644
--- a/src/libstore/datatransfer.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/datatransfer.hh
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ struct DataTransfer
     /* Synchronously download a file. */
     DataTransferResult download(const DataTransferRequest & request);
 
+    /* Synchronously upload a file. */
+    DataTransferResult upload(const DataTransferRequest & request);
+
     /* Download a file, writing its data to a sink. The sink will be
        invoked on the thread of the caller. */
     void download(DataTransferRequest && request, Sink & sink);
diff --git a/src/libstore/http-binary-cache-store.cc b/src/libstore/http-binary-cache-store.cc
index 5e446ddf2..c75846bc3 100644
--- a/src/libstore/http-binary-cache-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/http-binary-cache-store.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ protected:
         req.data = std::make_shared<string>(data); // FIXME: inefficient
         req.mimeType = mimeType;
         try {
-            getDataTransfer()->download(req);
+            getDataTransfer()->upload(req);
         } catch (DataTransferError & e) {
             throw UploadToHTTP("while uploading to HTTP binary cache at '%s': %s", cacheUri, e.msg());
         }
@@ -174,4 +174,3 @@ static RegisterStoreImplementation regStore([](
 });
 
 }
-