diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
index fbec88cae..387261f09 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ class ImportJob(models.Model):
 
     user = models.ForeignKey(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
     created_date = models.DateTimeField(default=timezone.now)
+    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(default=timezone.now)
     include_reviews = models.BooleanField(default=True)
     mappings = models.JSONField()
-    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(default=timezone.now)
     complete = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     source = models.CharField(max_length=100)
     privacy = models.CharField(
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
index 61b7b5cf5..6c7d54b93 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
         </dl>
     </div>
 
-    {% if not complete %}
+    {% if not job.complete %}
     <div class="box is-processing">
         <div class="block">
             <span class="icon icon-spinner is-pulled-left" aria-hidden="true"></span>
@@ -167,8 +167,17 @@
                         {% endif %}
                     </span>
                     {% else %}
-                    <span class="icon icon-dots-three" aria-hidden="true"></span>
-                    <span class="is-sr-only-mobile">{% trans "Pending" %}</span>
+                    <div class="is-flex">
+                        <span class="icon icon-dots-three" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+                        <span class="is-sr-only-mobile">{% trans "Pending" %}</span>
+                        {# retry option if an item appears to be hanging #}
+                        {% if job.created_date != job.updated_date and inactive_time > 0.24 %}
+                        <form class="ml-2" method="POST" action="{% url 'import-item-retry' job.id item.id %}" name="retry-{{ item.id }}">
+                            {% csrf_token %}
+                            <button class="button is-danger is-outlined is-small">{% trans "Retry" %}</button>
+                        </form>
+                        {% endif %}
+                    </div>
                     {% endif %}
                 </td>
                 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index d6a79c202..6f6580167 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -242,6 +242,11 @@ urlpatterns = [
         views.ImportStatus.as_view(),
         name="import-status",
     ),
+    re_path(
+        r"^import/(?P<job_id>\d+)/retry/(?P<item_id>\d+)/?$",
+        views.ImportStatus.as_view(),
+        name="import-item-retry",
+    ),
     re_path(
         r"^import/(?P<job_id>\d+)/failed/?$",
         views.ImportTroubleshoot.as_view(),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_status.py b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_status.py
index 7e7d51792..541740821 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_status.py
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ import math
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.core.paginator import Paginator
-from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
+from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
+from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.views import View
 
 from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm.importers.importer import import_item_task
 from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -40,10 +42,19 @@ class ImportStatus(View):
             "page_range": paginated.get_elided_page_range(
                 page.number, on_each_side=2, on_ends=1
             ),
-            "complete": not job.pending_items.exists(),
             "percent": math.floor(  # pylint: disable=c-extension-no-member
                 (item_count - job.pending_items.count()) / item_count * 100
             ),
+            # hours since last import item update
+            "inactive_time": (job.updated_date - timezone.now()).seconds / 60 / 60,
         }
 
         return TemplateResponse(request, "import/import_status.html", data)
+
+    def post(self, request, job_id, item_id):
+        """retry an item"""
+        item = get_object_or_404(
+            models.ImportItem, id=item_id, job__id=job_id, job__user=request.user
+        )
+        import_item_task.delay(item.id)
+        return redirect("import-status", job_id)