diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index e7b9835692d..d3ae4a2dd0b 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
   validates :namespace, presence: true
   validates_uniqueness_of :name, scope: :namespace_id
   validates_uniqueness_of :path, scope: :namespace_id
-  validates :import_url, addressable_url: true, if: :import_url
+  validates :import_url, addressable_url: true, if: :external_import?
   validates :star_count, numericality: { greater_than_or_equal_to: 0 }
   validate :check_limit, on: :create
   validate :avatar_type,
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def create_or_update_import_data(data: nil, credentials: nil)
-    return unless valid_import_url?
+    return unless import_url.present? && valid_import_url?
 
     project_import_data = import_data || build_import_data
     if data
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/bitbucket_import/client_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/bitbucket_import/client_spec.rb
index 760d66a1488..7543c29bcc4 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/bitbucket_import/client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/bitbucket_import/client_spec.rb
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ describe Gitlab::BitbucketImport::Client, lib: true do
   context 'project import' do
     it 'calls .from_project with no errors' do
       project = create(:empty_project)
+      project.import_url = "ssh://git@bitbucket.org/test/test.git"
       project.create_or_update_import_data(credentials:
                                              { user: "git",
                                                password: nil,
                                                bb_session: { bitbucket_access_token: "test",
                                                              bitbucket_access_token_secret: "test" } })
-      project.import_url = "ssh://git@bitbucket.org/test/test.git"
 
       expect { described_class.from_project(project) }.not_to raise_error
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index e842c58dd82..9dc34276f18 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -142,10 +142,10 @@ describe Project, models: true do
       expect(project2).to be_valid
     end
 
-    it 'does not allow to introduce an empty URI' do
+    it 'allows an empty URI' do
       project2 = build(:project, import_url: '')
 
-      expect(project2).not_to be_valid
+      expect(project2).to be_valid
     end
 
     it 'does not produce import data on an empty URI' do