diff --git a/Annex/Import.hs b/Annex/Import.hs
index 8d64cc4efb..f2f4c8359e 100644
--- a/Annex/Import.hs
+++ b/Annex/Import.hs
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ buildImportTrees basetree msubdir importable = History
 {- Downloads all new ContentIdentifiers as needed to generate Keys. 
  - Supports concurrency when enabled.
  -
- - If any download fails, the whole thing fails, but it will resume where
- - it left off.
+ - If any download fails, the whole thing fails with Nothing, 
+ - but it will resume where it left off.
  -}
 downloadImport :: Remote -> ImportTreeConfig -> ImportableContents (ContentIdentifier, ByteSize) -> Annex (Maybe (ImportableContents Key))
 downloadImport remote importtreeconfig importablecontents = do
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index a0bacb8d22..6b693b376d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ git-annex (7.20190323) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
     content.
   * Made git-annex sync --content much faster when all the remotes it's
     syncing with are export/import remotes.
+  * sync: When listing contents on an import remote fails, proceed with
+    other syncing instead of aborting.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:07:53 -0400
 
diff --git a/Command/Import.hs b/Command/Import.hs
index 2452337710..baac95a54c 100644
--- a/Command/Import.hs
+++ b/Command/Import.hs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ import Git.Types
 import Git.Branch
 import Types.Import
 
+import Control.Concurrent.STM
+
 cmd :: Command
 cmd = notBareRepo $
 	withGlobalOptions [jobsOption, jsonOptions, fileMatchingOptions] $
@@ -265,10 +267,20 @@ seekRemote remote branch msubdir = do
 	
 	parentcommit <- fromtrackingbranch Git.Ref.sha
 	let importcommitconfig = ImportCommitConfig parentcommit ManualCommit importmessage
+	let commitimport = commitRemote remote branch tb parentcommit importtreeconfig importcommitconfig
 
-	importable <- download importtreeconfig =<< listcontents
-	void $ includeCommandAction $
-		commitRemote remote branch tb parentcommit importtreeconfig importcommitconfig importable
+	importabletvar <- liftIO $ newTVarIO Nothing
+	void $ includeCommandAction (listContents remote importabletvar)
+	liftIO (atomically (readTVar importabletvar)) >>= \case
+		Nothing -> return ()
+		Just importable -> downloadImport remote importtreeconfig importable >>= \case
+			Nothing -> warning $ concat
+				[ "Failed to import some files from "
+				, Remote.name remote
+				, ". Re-run command to resume import."
+				]
+			Just imported -> void $
+				includeCommandAction $ commitimport imported
   where
 	importmessage = "import from " ++ Remote.name remote
 
@@ -276,20 +288,14 @@ seekRemote remote branch msubdir = do
 
 	fromtrackingbranch a = inRepo $ a (fromRemoteTrackingBranch tb)
 
-	listcontents = do
-		showStart' "list" (Just (Remote.name remote))
-		Remote.listImportableContents (Remote.importActions remote) >>= \case
-			Nothing -> do
-				showEndFail
-				giveup $ "Unable to list contents of " ++ Remote.name remote
-			Just importable -> do
-				showEndOk
-				return importable
-
-	download importtreeconfig importablecontents =
-		downloadImport remote importtreeconfig importablecontents >>= \case
-			Nothing -> giveup $ "Failed to import some files from " ++ Remote.name remote ++ ". Re-run command to resume import."
-			Just importable -> return importable
+listContents :: Remote -> TVar (Maybe (ImportableContents (ContentIdentifier, Remote.ByteSize))) -> CommandStart
+listContents remote tvar = do
+	showStart' "list" (Just (Remote.name remote))
+	next $ Remote.listImportableContents (Remote.importActions remote) >>= \case
+		Nothing -> giveup $ "Unable to list contents of " ++ Remote.name remote
+		Just importable -> next $ do
+			liftIO $ atomically $ writeTVar tvar (Just importable)
+			return True
 
 commitRemote :: Remote -> Branch -> RemoteTrackingBranch -> Maybe Sha -> ImportTreeConfig -> ImportCommitConfig -> ImportableContents Key -> CommandStart
 commitRemote remote branch tb parentcommit importtreeconfig importcommitconfig importable = do