diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/imports_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/imports_controller.rb
index d353a390340..a1b84afcd91 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/imports_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/imports_controller.rb
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@ class Projects::ImportsController < Projects::ApplicationController
       if @project.import_failed?
         @project.import_retry
       else
-        Project.transaction do
-          @project.import_start
-        end
+        @project.import_start
         @project.add_import_job
       end
     end
diff --git a/app/services/projects/create_service.rb b/app/services/projects/create_service.rb
index 2687544ae62..6728fabea1e 100644
--- a/app/services/projects/create_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/projects/create_service.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ module Projects
 
       save_project_and_import_data(import_data)
 
-      start_import if @project.import?
+      @project.import_start if @project.import?
 
       after_create_actions if @project.persisted?
 
@@ -94,12 +94,6 @@ module Projects
       end
     end
 
-    def start_import
-      Project.transaction do
-        @project.import_start
-      end
-    end
-
     def save_project_and_import_data(import_data)
       Project.transaction do
         @project.create_or_update_import_data(data: import_data[:data], credentials: import_data[:credentials]) if import_data