diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/import.js b/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/import.js
index da2dc79f0..f482d104e 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/import.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/import.js
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ function importIntoNote(importNoteId) {
 }
 
 messagingService.subscribeToMessages(async message => {
+    if (message.type === 'import-error') {
+        infoService.showError(message.message);
+        $dialog.modal('hide');
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (!message.importId || message.importId !== importId) {
         // incoming messages must correspond to this import instance
         return;
diff --git a/src/routes/api/import.js b/src/routes/api/import.js
index 556bb35ec..1b50c4a8c 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/import.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/import.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const messagingService = require('../../services/messaging');
 const cls = require('../../services/cls');
 const path = require('path');
 const noteCacheService = require('../../services/note_cache');
+const log = require('../../services/log');
 
 class ImportContext {
     constructor(importId) {
@@ -40,6 +41,14 @@ class ImportContext {
             noteId: noteId
         });
     }
+
+    // must remaing static
+    async reportError(message) {
+        await messagingService.sendMessageToAllClients({
+            type: 'import-error',
+            message: message
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 async function importToBranch(req) {
@@ -66,23 +75,28 @@ async function importToBranch(req) {
 
     const importContext = new ImportContext(importId);
 
-    if (extension === '.tar') {
-        note = await tarImportService.importTar(importContext, file.buffer, parentNote);
+    try {
+        if (extension === '.tar') {
+            note = await tarImportService.importTar(importContext, file.buffer, parentNote);
+        } else if (extension === '.opml') {
+            note = await opmlImportService.importOpml(importContext, file.buffer, parentNote);
+        } else if (extension === '.md') {
+            note = await singleImportService.importMarkdown(importContext, file, parentNote);
+        } else if (extension === '.html' || extension === '.htm') {
+            note = await singleImportService.importHtml(importContext, file, parentNote);
+        } else if (extension === '.enex') {
+            note = await enexImportService.importEnex(importContext, file, parentNote);
+        } else {
+            return [400, `Unrecognized extension ${extension}, must be .tar or .opml`];
+        }
     }
-    else if (extension === '.opml') {
-        note = await opmlImportService.importOpml(importContext, file.buffer, parentNote);
-    }
-    else if (extension === '.md') {
-        note = await singleImportService.importMarkdown(importContext, file, parentNote);
-    }
-    else if (extension === '.html' || extension === '.htm') {
-        note = await singleImportService.importHtml(importContext, file, parentNote);
-    }
-    else if (extension === '.enex') {
-        note = await enexImportService.importEnex(importContext, file, parentNote);
-    }
-    else {
-        return [400, `Unrecognized extension ${extension}, must be .tar or .opml`];
+    catch (e) {
+        const message = "Import failed with following error: '" + e.message + "'. More details might be in the logs.";
+        importContext.reportError(message);
+
+        log.error(message + e.stack);
+
+        return [500, message];
     }
 
     // import has deactivated note events so note cache is not updated
diff --git a/src/services/import/tar.js b/src/services/import/tar.js
index cf0b44a08..eb18f3c7c 100644
--- a/src/services/import/tar.js
+++ b/src/services/import/tar.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ let lastSentCountTs = Date.now();
  */
 async function importTar(importContext, fileBuffer, importRootNote) {
     importNoteCount = 0;
-
+    throw new Error("Hello");
     // maps from original noteId (in tar file) to newly generated noteId
     const noteIdMap = {};
     const attributes = [];