diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 9a4c9b5a4..854f05973 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -423,3 +423,6 @@ if HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO:
 # Do not change this setting unless you already have an existing
 # user with the same username - in which case you should change it!
 INSTANCE_ACTOR_USERNAME = "bookwyrm.instance.actor"
+
+# exports
+USER_EXPORT_COOLDOWN_HOURS = 48
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_user.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_user.html
index e48f0198d..1eee017fa 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_user.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_user.html
@@ -15,28 +15,12 @@
     {% endif %}
 
 
-        {% if import_size_limit and import_limit_reset %}
-            <div class="notification">
-                <p>{% blocktrans %}Currently you are allowed to import one user every {{ user_import_limit_reset }} days.{% endblocktrans %}</p>
-                <p>{% blocktrans %}You have {{ allowed_imports }} left.{% endblocktrans %}</p>
+        {% if next_available %}
+            <div class="notification is-warning">
+                <p>{% blocktrans %}Currently you are allowed to import one user every {{ user_import_hours }} hours.{% endblocktrans %}</p>
+                <p>{% blocktrans %}You will next be able to import a user file at {{ next_available }}{% endblocktrans %}</p>
             </div>
-        {% endif %}
-        {% if recent_avg_hours or recent_avg_minutes %}
-        <div class="notification">
-            <p>
-            {% if recent_avg_hours %}
-                {% blocktrans trimmed with hours=recent_avg_hours|floatformat:0|intcomma %}
-                    On average, recent imports have taken {{ hours }} hours.
-                {% endblocktrans %}
-            {% else %}
-                {% blocktrans trimmed with minutes=recent_avg_minutes|floatformat:0|intcomma %}
-                    On average, recent imports have taken {{ minutes }} minutes.
-                {% endblocktrans %}
-            {% endif %}
-            </p>
-        </div>
-        {% endif %}
-
+        {% else %}
         <form class="box" name="import-user" action="/user-import" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
             {% csrf_token %}
 
@@ -100,6 +84,7 @@
                 <p>{% trans "You've reached the import limit." %}</p>
             {% endif%}
         </form>
+        {% endif %}
 
 </div>
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/preferences/export-user.html b/bookwyrm/templates/preferences/export-user.html
index 2dd3f6de3..2f63c9e1c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/preferences/export-user.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/preferences/export-user.html
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@
 
 {% block panel %}
 <div class="block content">
+    {% if next_available %}
+    <p class="notification is-warning">
+        {% blocktrans %}
+        You will be able to create a new export file at {{ next_available }}
+        {% endblocktrans %}
+    </p>
+    {% else %}
     <p class="notification">
         {% trans "Your exported archive file will include all user data for import into another Bookwyrm server" %}
     </p>
@@ -19,6 +26,8 @@
             <span>{% trans "Create user export file" %}</span>
         </button>
     </form>
+    {% endif %}
+
 </div>
 <div class="content block">
     <h2 class="title">{% trans "Recent Exports" %}</h2>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
index 69a87c0c2..aa561d367 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from bookwyrm.importers import (
     OpenLibraryImporter,
 )
 from bookwyrm.models.bookwyrm_import_job import BookwyrmImportJob
-from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
+from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH, USER_EXPORT_COOLDOWN_HOURS
 from bookwyrm.utils.cache import get_or_set
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -142,11 +142,16 @@ class UserImport(View):
         jobs = BookwyrmImportJob.objects.filter(user=request.user).order_by(
             "-created_date"
         )
+        hours = USER_EXPORT_COOLDOWN_HOURS
+        allowed = jobs.first().created_date < timezone.now() - datetime.timedelta(hours=hours)
+        next_available = jobs.first().created_date + datetime.timedelta(hours=hours) if not allowed else False
         paginated = Paginator(jobs, PAGE_LENGTH)
         page = paginated.get_page(request.GET.get("page"))
         data = {
             "import_form": forms.ImportUserForm(),
             "jobs": page,
+            "user_import_hours": hours,
+            "next_available": next_available,
             "page_range": paginated.get_elided_page_range(
                 page.number, on_each_side=2, on_ends=1
             ),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/preferences/export.py b/bookwyrm/views/preferences/export.py
index 28e83051e..49b19aea8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/preferences/export.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/preferences/export.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """ Let users export their book data """
+from datetime import timedelta
 import csv
 import io
 
@@ -7,11 +8,12 @@ from django.core.paginator import Paginator
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.http import HttpResponse
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
+from django.utils import timezone
 from django.views import View
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
 
-from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm import models, settings
 from bookwyrm.models.bookwyrm_export_job import BookwyrmExportJob
 from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
 
@@ -101,10 +103,15 @@ class ExportUser(View):
         jobs = BookwyrmExportJob.objects.filter(user=request.user).order_by(
             "-created_date"
         )
+        hours = settings.USER_EXPORT_COOLDOWN_HOURS
+        allowed = jobs.first().created_date < timezone.now() - timedelta(hours=hours)
+        next_available = jobs.first().created_date + timedelta(hours=hours) if not allowed else False
+
         paginated = Paginator(jobs, PAGE_LENGTH)
         page = paginated.get_page(request.GET.get("page"))
         data = {
             "jobs": page,
+            "next_available": next_available,
             "page_range": paginated.get_elided_page_range(
                 page.number, on_each_side=2, on_ends=1
             ),