diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
index a3cfba198..388dcf91f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ class Importer:
         """check over a csv and creates a database entry for the job"""
         csv_reader = csv.DictReader(csv_file, delimiter=self.delimiter)
         rows = enumerate(list(csv_reader))
+        if rows:
+            raise ValueError("CSV file is empty")
+
         job = ImportJob.objects.create(
             user=user,
             include_reviews=include_reviews,
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
index 141e5671e..325caa92b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
 <div class="block">
     <h1 class="title">{% trans "Import Books" %}</h1>
 
+    {% if invalid %}
+    <div class="notification is-danger">
+        {% trans "Not a valid CSV file" %}
+    </div>
+    {% endif %}
+
     {% if site.imports_enabled %}
         {% if recent_avg_hours or recent_avg_minutes %}
         <div class="notification">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
index 4956bfb7d..f0bb2e698 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from django.shortcuts import redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
-from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django.views import View
 
 from bookwyrm import forms, models
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ from bookwyrm.utils.cache import get_or_set
 class Import(View):
     """import view"""
 
-    def get(self, request):
+    def get(self, request, invalid=False):
         """load import page"""
         jobs = models.ImportJob.objects.filter(user=request.user).order_by(
             "-created_date"
@@ -43,6 +42,7 @@ class Import(View):
             "page_range": paginated.get_elided_page_range(
                 page.number, on_each_side=2, on_ends=1
             ),
+            "invalid": invalid,
         }
 
         seconds = get_or_set("avg-import-time", get_average_import_time, timeout=86400)
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class Import(View):
                 privacy,
             )
         except (UnicodeDecodeError, ValueError, KeyError):
-            return HttpResponseBadRequest(_("Not a valid csv file"))
+            return self.get(request, invalid=True)
 
         job.start_job()