diff --git a/geonode/base/api/serializers.py b/geonode/base/api/serializers.py
index 9a5ad98b09f..e4e013440f8 100644
--- a/geonode/base/api/serializers.py
+++ b/geonode/base/api/serializers.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 from django.forms.models import model_to_dict
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
 from django.db.models.query import QuerySet
-from geonode.assets.utils import get_default_asset
 from geonode.people import Roles
 from django.http import QueryDict
 from deprecated import deprecated
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@
 from avatar.templatetags.avatar_tags import avatar_url
 from geonode.utils import bbox_swap
 from geonode.base.api.exceptions import InvalidResourceException
-
+from geonode.assets.handlers import asset_handler_registry
 from geonode.favorite.models import Favorite
 from geonode.base.models import (
     Link,
@@ -63,10 +62,9 @@
 from geonode.geoapps.models import GeoApp
 from geonode.groups.models import GroupCategory, GroupProfile
 from geonode.base.api.fields import ComplexDynamicRelationField
-from geonode.layers.utils import get_download_handlers, get_default_dataset_download_handler
-from geonode.assets.handlers import asset_handler_registry
+from geonode.resource.manager import resource_manager
 from geonode.utils import build_absolute_uri
-from geonode.security.utils import get_resources_with_perms, get_geoapp_subtypes
+from geonode.security.utils import get_resources_with_perms
 from geonode.resource.models import ExecutionRequest
 from django.contrib.gis.geos import Polygon
 
@@ -301,42 +299,7 @@ def get_attribute(self, instance):
             logger.exception(e)
             raise e
 
-        asset = get_default_asset(_instance)
-        if asset is not None:
-            asset_url = asset_handler_registry.get_handler(asset).create_download_url(asset)
-
-        if _instance.resource_type in ["map"] + get_geoapp_subtypes():
-            return []
-        elif _instance.resource_type in ["document"]:
-            payload = [
-                {
-                    "url": _instance.download_url,
-                    "ajax_safe": _instance.download_is_ajax_safe,
-                },
-            ]
-            if asset:
-                payload.append({"url": asset_url, "ajax_safe": False, "default": False})
-            return payload
-
-        elif _instance.resource_type in ["dataset"]:
-            download_urls = []
-            # lets get only the default one first to set it
-            default_handler = get_default_dataset_download_handler()
-            obj = default_handler(self.context.get("request"), _instance.alternate)
-            if obj.download_url:
-                download_urls.append({"url": obj.download_url, "ajax_safe": obj.is_ajax_safe, "default": True})
-            # then let's prepare the payload with everything
-            for handler in get_download_handlers():
-                obj = handler(self.context.get("request"), _instance.alternate)
-                if obj.download_url:
-                    download_urls.append({"url": obj.download_url, "ajax_safe": obj.is_ajax_safe, "default": False})
-
-            if asset:
-                download_urls.append({"url": asset_url, "ajax_safe": True, "default": False if download_urls else True})
-
-            return download_urls
-        else:
-            return []
+        return resource_manager.get_handler(_instance).download_urls(**self.context)
 
 
 class FavoriteField(DynamicComputedField):
diff --git a/geonode/base/api/tests.py b/geonode/base/api/tests.py
index b039a013eab..ce0b9465cec 100644
--- a/geonode/base/api/tests.py
+++ b/geonode/base/api/tests.py
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@
 from geonode.assets.utils import create_asset_and_link
 from geonode.maps.models import Map, MapLayer
 from geonode.tests.base import GeoNodeBaseTestSupport
-from geonode.assets.utils import get_default_asset
-from geonode.assets.handlers import asset_handler_registry
 
 from geonode.base import enumerations
 from geonode.base.api.serializers import ResourceBaseSerializer
@@ -2531,12 +2529,7 @@ def test_base_resources_return_download_links_for_documents(self):
         Ensure we can access the Resource Base list.
         """
         doc = Document.objects.first()
-        asset = get_default_asset(doc)
-        handler = asset_handler_registry.get_handler(asset)
-        expected_payload = [
-            {"url": build_absolute_uri(doc.download_url), "ajax_safe": doc.download_is_ajax_safe},
-            {"ajax_safe": False, "default": False, "url": handler.create_download_url(asset)},
-        ]
+        expected_payload = [{"url": build_absolute_uri(doc.download_url), "ajax_safe": doc.download_is_ajax_safe}]
         # From resource base API
         json = self._get_for_object(doc, "base-resources-detail")
         download_url = json.get("resource").get("download_urls")
diff --git a/geonode/base/populate_test_data.py b/geonode/base/populate_test_data.py
index d8cc78afd18..80b031ff565 100644
--- a/geonode/base/populate_test_data.py
+++ b/geonode/base/populate_test_data.py
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ def dump_models(path=None):
         f.write(result)
 
 
-def create_single_dataset(name, keywords=None, owner=None, group=None, **kwargs):
+def create_single_dataset(name, keywords=None, owner=None, group=None, with_asset=False, **kwargs):
     admin, created = get_user_model().objects.get_or_create(username="admin")
     if created:
         admin.is_superuser = True
@@ -415,6 +415,8 @@ def create_single_dataset(name, keywords=None, owner=None, group=None, **kwargs)
 
         if isinstance(keywords, list):
             dataset = add_keywords_to_resource(dataset, keywords)
+        if with_asset:
+            _, _ = create_asset_and_link(dataset, dataset.owner, dfile)
 
         dataset.set_default_permissions(owner=owner or admin)
         dataset.clear_dirty_state()
diff --git a/geonode/documents/handlers.py b/geonode/documents/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3df83cdac11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/documents/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from geonode.documents.models import Document
+from geonode.resource.handler import BaseResourceHandler
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger()
+
+
+class DocumentHandler(BaseResourceHandler):
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def can_handle(instance):
+        return isinstance(instance, Document)
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Specific method that return the download URL of the document
+        """
+        return [
+            {
+                "url": self.instance.download_url if not self.instance.doc_url else self.instance.doc_url,
+                "ajax_safe": self.instance.download_is_ajax_safe,
+            },
+        ] or super().download_urls()
diff --git a/geonode/geoapps/handlers.py b/geonode/geoapps/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5ada9dc4140
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/geoapps/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from geonode.geoapps.models import GeoApp
+from geonode.resource.handler import BaseResourceHandler
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger()
+
+
+class GeoAppHandler(BaseResourceHandler):
+    @staticmethod
+    def can_handle(instance):
+        return isinstance(instance, GeoApp)
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        logger.debug("Download is not available for maps")
+        return []
diff --git a/geonode/layers/handlers.py b/geonode/layers/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fffc3a8f4c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/layers/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from geonode.assets.utils import get_default_asset
+from geonode.base.models import ResourceBase
+from geonode.layers.models import Dataset
+from geonode.resource.handler import BaseResourceHandler
+import logging
+from geonode.assets.handlers import asset_handler_registry
+from geonode.layers.utils import get_download_handlers, get_default_dataset_download_handler
+
+logger = logging.getLogger()
+
+
+class Tiles3DHandler(BaseResourceHandler):
+    @staticmethod
+    def can_handle(instance):
+        return isinstance(instance, ResourceBase) and instance.subtype == "3dtiles"
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Specific method that return the download URL of the document
+        """
+        super().download_urls()
+        asset = get_default_asset(self.instance)
+        if asset is not None:
+            asset_url = asset_handler_registry.get_handler(asset).create_download_url(asset)
+            return [{"url": asset_url, "ajax_safe": True, "default": True}]
+
+
+class DatasetHandler(BaseResourceHandler):
+    @staticmethod
+    def can_handle(instance):
+        return isinstance(instance, Dataset)
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        super().download_urls()
+        """
+        Specific method that return the download URL of the document
+        """
+        download_urls = []
+        # lets get only the default one first to set it
+        default_handler = get_default_dataset_download_handler()
+        obj = default_handler(kwargs.get("request"), self.instance.alternate)
+        if obj.download_url:
+            download_urls.append({"url": obj.download_url, "ajax_safe": obj.is_ajax_safe, "default": True})
+        # then let's prepare the payload with everything
+        for handler in get_download_handlers():
+            obj = handler(kwargs.get("request"), self.instance.alternate)
+            if obj.download_url:
+                download_urls.append({"url": obj.download_url, "ajax_safe": obj.is_ajax_safe, "default": False})
+        return download_urls
diff --git a/geonode/maps/handlers.py b/geonode/maps/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1b0334ec768
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/maps/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from geonode.maps.models import Map
+from geonode.resource.handler import BaseResourceHandler
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger()
+
+
+class MapHandler(BaseResourceHandler):
+    @staticmethod
+    def can_handle(instance):
+        return isinstance(instance, Map)
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        logger.debug("Download is not available for maps")
+        return []
diff --git a/geonode/resource/apps.py b/geonode/resource/apps.py
index 791f51317a7..97a5e716216 100644
--- a/geonode/resource/apps.py
+++ b/geonode/resource/apps.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #########################################################################
 from django.apps import AppConfig
 from django.urls import include, re_path
+from geonode.resource.handler import resource_registry
 
 
 class GeoNodeResourceConfig(AppConfig):
@@ -28,3 +29,5 @@ def ready(self):
         from geonode.urls import urlpatterns
 
         urlpatterns += [re_path(r"^api/v2/", include("geonode.resource.api.urls"))]
+
+        resource_registry.init_registry()
diff --git a/geonode/resource/handler.py b/geonode/resource/handler.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f771bba7e03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/resource/handler.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+from abc import ABC
+import logging
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__file__)
+
+
+class ResourceHandlerRegistry:
+
+    REGISTRY = []
+
+    def init_registry(self):
+        self.register()
+
+    def register(self):
+        for module_path in settings.RESOURCE_HANDLERS:
+            self.REGISTRY.append(import_string(module_path))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_registry(cls):
+        return ResourceHandlerRegistry.REGISTRY
+
+    def get_handler(self, instance):
+        """
+        Given a resource, should return it's handler
+        """
+        for handler in self.get_registry():
+            if handler.can_handle(instance):
+                return handler(instance)
+        logger.error("No handlers found for the given resource")
+        return BaseResourceHandler()
+
+
+class BaseResourceHandler(ABC):
+    """
+    Base abstract resource handler object
+    define the required method needed to define a resource handler
+    As first implementation it will take care of the download url
+    and the download response for a resource
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, instance=None) -> None:
+        self.instance = instance
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return f"{self.__module__}.{self.__class__.__name__}"
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return self.__str__()
+
+    def download_urls(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        return the download url for each resource
+        """
+        if not self.instance:
+            logger.warning("No instance declared, so is not possible to return the download url")
+            return None
+        return []
+
+    def download_response(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Return the download response for the resource
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+
+resource_registry = ResourceHandlerRegistry()
diff --git a/geonode/resource/manager.py b/geonode/resource/manager.py
index c99f4995ac7..9f2d5c94e37 100644
--- a/geonode/resource/manager.py
+++ b/geonode/resource/manager.py
@@ -978,5 +978,10 @@ def set_thumbnail(
                 logger.exception(e)
         return False
 
+    def get_handler(self, instance):
+        from geonode.resource.handler import resource_registry
+
+        return resource_registry.get_handler(instance=instance)
+
 
 resource_manager = ResourceManager()
diff --git a/geonode/resource/test_handler.py b/geonode/resource/test_handler.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..680662d8dd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geonode/resource/test_handler.py
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+#########################################################################
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2021 OSGeo
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+#########################################################################
+
+
+from django.urls import reverse
+from geonode.assets.utils import get_default_asset
+from geonode.base.populate_test_data import (
+    create_single_dataset,
+    create_single_doc,
+    create_single_geoapp,
+    create_single_map,
+)
+from geonode.documents.handlers import DocumentHandler
+from geonode.geoapps.handlers import GeoAppHandler
+from geonode.layers.handlers import DatasetHandler, Tiles3DHandler
+from geonode.maps.handlers import MapHandler
+from geonode.tests.base import GeoNodeBaseTestSupport
+from geonode.resource.manager import resource_manager
+from geonode.utils import build_absolute_uri
+
+
+class TestResourceManager(GeoNodeBaseTestSupport):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls) -> None:
+        super().setUpClass()
+        cls.dataset = create_single_dataset("dataset_for_handlers")
+        cls.map = create_single_map("map_for_handlers")
+        cls.document = create_single_doc("document_for_handlers")
+        cls.geoapp = create_single_geoapp("geoapp_for_handlers")
+        cls.tiles3d = create_single_dataset("tiles3d_for_handlers", with_asset=True)
+        cls.tiles3d.subtype = "3dtiles"
+        cls.tiles3d.save()
+
+    def test_correct_resource_manager_is_called_for_dataset(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.dataset)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(handler, DatasetHandler))
+
+    def test_correct_resource_manager_is_called_for_doc(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.document)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(handler, DocumentHandler))
+
+    def test_correct_resource_manager_is_called_for_map(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.map)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(handler, MapHandler))
+
+    def test_correct_resource_manager_is_called_for_geoapp(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.geoapp)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(handler, GeoAppHandler))
+
+    def test_correct_resource_manager_is_called_for_3dtiles(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.tiles3d)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(handler, Tiles3DHandler))
+
+    def test_correct_download_url_for_dataset(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.dataset)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+
+        expected_payload = [{"url": self.dataset.download_url, "ajax_safe": True, "default": True}]
+
+        self.assertListEqual(handler.download_urls(), expected_payload)
+
+    def test_correct_download_url_for_doc(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.document)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        expected_payload = [{"url": self.document.download_url, "ajax_safe": True}]
+
+        self.assertListEqual(handler.download_urls(), expected_payload)
+
+    def test_correct_download_url_for_map(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.map)
+        expected_payload = []
+
+        self.assertListEqual(handler.download_urls(), expected_payload)
+
+    def test_correct_download_url_for_geoapp(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.geoapp)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        expected_payload = []
+        self.assertListEqual(handler.download_urls(), expected_payload)
+
+    def test_correct_download_url_for_3dtiles(self):
+        handler = resource_manager.get_handler(self.tiles3d)
+        asset = get_default_asset(self.tiles3d)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(handler)
+        expected_payload = [
+            {
+                "url": build_absolute_uri(reverse("assets-download", kwargs={"pk": asset.pk})),
+                "ajax_safe": True,
+                "default": True,
+            }
+        ]
+
+        self.assertListEqual(handler.download_urls(), expected_payload)
diff --git a/geonode/settings.py b/geonode/settings.py
index 119844bbe02..a874a752e8e 100644
--- a/geonode/settings.py
+++ b/geonode/settings.py
@@ -2364,3 +2364,12 @@ def get_geonode_catalogue_service():
 ]
 INSTALLED_APPS += ("geonode.assets",)
 GEONODE_APPS += ("geonode.assets",)
+
+
+RESOURCE_HANDLERS = [
+    "geonode.layers.handlers.Tiles3DHandler",
+    "geonode.layers.handlers.DatasetHandler",
+    "geonode.maps.handlers.MapHandler",
+    "geonode.documents.handlers.DocumentHandler",
+    "geonode.geoapps.handlers.GeoAppHandler",
+]