diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_manager.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_manager.rb
index 2992c81b731..63935fc6822 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_manager.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,16 @@ module Gitlab
       def copy
         copy_files(@from, uploads_export_path) if File.directory?(@from)
 
+        if File.file?(@from) && @relative_export_path == 'avatar'
+          copy_files(@from, File.join(uploads_export_path, @project.avatar.filename))
+        end
+
         copy_from_object_storage
+
+        true
+      rescue => e
+        @shared.error(e)
+        false
       end
 
       private
@@ -49,9 +58,10 @@ module Gitlab
       end
 
       def download_and_copy(upload)
-        mkdir_p(File.join(uploads_export_path, upload.secret))
+        secret = upload.try(:secret) || ''
+        upload_path = File.join(uploads_export_path, secret, upload.filename)
 
-        upload_path = File.join(uploads_export_path, upload.secret, upload.filename)
+        mkdir_p(File.join(uploads_export_path, secret))
 
         File.open(upload_path, 'w') do |file|
           IO.copy_stream(URI.parse(upload.file.url).open, file)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver.rb
index 2f08dda55fd..9cdd015d82a 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver.rb
@@ -9,21 +9,14 @@ module Gitlab
       end
 
       def save
-        return true unless File.directory?(uploads_path)
-
-        copy_files(uploads_path, uploads_export_path)
+        Gitlab::ImportExport::UploadsManager.new(
+          project: @project,
+          shared: @shared,
+        ).copy
       rescue => e
         @shared.error(e)
         false
       end
-
-      def uploads_path
-        FileUploader.absolute_base_dir(@project)
-      end
-
-      def uploads_export_path
-        File.join(@shared.export_path, 'uploads')
-      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/uploads.rb b/spec/factories/uploads.rb
index b45f6f30e40..a81b2169b89 100644
--- a/spec/factories/uploads.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/uploads.rb
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ FactoryBot.define do
       secret SecureRandom.hex
     end
 
+    trait :with_file do
+      after(:create) do |upload|
+        FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(upload.absolute_path))
+        FileUtils.touch(upload.absolute_path)
+      end
+    end
+
     trait :object_storage do
       store ObjectStorage::Store::REMOTE
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver_spec.rb
index 095687fa89d..24993460e51 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/uploads_saver_spec.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::UploadsSaver do
       it 'copies the uploads to the export path' do
         saver.save
 
-        uploads = Dir.glob(File.join(saver.uploads_export_path, '**/*')).map { |file| File.basename(file) }
+        uploads = Dir.glob(File.join(shared.export_path, 'uploads/**/*')).map { |file| File.basename(file) }
 
         expect(uploads).to include('banana_sample.gif')
       end
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::UploadsSaver do
       it 'copies the uploads to the export path' do
         saver.save
 
-        uploads = Dir.glob(File.join(saver.uploads_export_path, '**/*')).map { |file| File.basename(file) }
+        uploads = Dir.glob(File.join(shared.export_path, 'uploads/**/*')).map { |file| File.basename(file) }
 
         expect(uploads).to include('banana_sample.gif')
       end