diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer.rb
index ded05f73cf8..264a9a41ff0 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module Gitlab
       private
 
       def avatar_export_file
-        @avatar_export_file ||= Dir["#{avatar_export_path}/**/*"].first
+        @avatar_export_file ||= Dir["#{avatar_export_path}/**/*"].reject { |f| File.directory?(f) }.first
       end
 
       def avatar_export_path
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer_spec.rb
index 4897d604bc1..e44ff6bbcbd 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/avatar_restorer_spec.rb
@@ -6,22 +6,35 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::AvatarRestorer do
   let(:shared) { project.import_export_shared }
   let(:project) { create(:project) }
 
-  before do
-    allow_any_instance_of(described_class).to receive(:avatar_export_file)
-                                                .and_return(uploaded_image_temp_path)
-  end
-
   after do
     project.remove_avatar!
   end
 
-  it 'restores a project avatar' do
-    expect(described_class.new(project: project, shared: shared).restore).to be true
+  context 'with avatar' do
+    before do
+      allow_any_instance_of(described_class).to receive(:avatar_export_file)
+                                                  .and_return(uploaded_image_temp_path)
+    end
+
+    it 'restores a project avatar' do
+      expect(described_class.new(project: project, shared: shared).restore).to be true
+    end
+
+    it 'saves the avatar into the project' do
+      described_class.new(project: project, shared: shared).restore
+
+      expect(project.reload.avatar.file.exists?).to be true
+    end
   end
 
-  it 'saves the avatar into the project' do
-    described_class.new(project: project, shared: shared).restore
+  it 'does not break if there is just a directory' do
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmpdir|
+      FileUtils.mkdir_p("#{tmpdir}/a/b")
 
-    expect(project.reload.avatar.file.exists?).to be true
+      allow_any_instance_of(described_class).to receive(:avatar_export_path)
+                                                  .and_return("#{tmpdir}/a")
+
+      expect(described_class.new(project: project, shared: shared).restore).to be true
+    end
   end
 end