diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 2c1c2278e2d..228f66b95cd 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -351,7 +351,16 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
 
     after_transition started: :finished do |project, _|
       project.reset_cache_and_import_attrs
-      project.perform_housekeeping
+
+      if Gitlab::ImportSources.importer_names.include?(project.import_type) && project.repo_exists?
+        project.run_after_commit do
+          begin
+            Projects::HousekeepingService.new(project).execute
+          rescue Projects::HousekeepingService::LeaseTaken => e
+            Rails.logger.info("Could not perform housekeeping for project #{project.path_with_namespace} (#{project.id}): #{e}")
+          end
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -509,22 +518,6 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
       ProjectCacheWorker.perform_async(self.id)
     end
 
-    remove_import_data
-  end
-
-  def perform_housekeeping
-    return unless repo_exists?
-
-    run_after_commit do
-      begin
-        Projects::HousekeepingService.new(self).execute
-      rescue Projects::HousekeepingService::LeaseTaken => e
-        Rails.logger.info("Could not perform housekeeping for project #{self.path_with_namespace} (#{self.id}): #{e}")
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-  def remove_import_data
     import_data&.destroy
   end
 
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/fix-34417.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/fix-34417.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5f012ad0c81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/fix-34417.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+title: Perform housekeeping only when an import of a fresh project is completed
+merge_request:
+author:
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index ff4fe7f7e03..5565fd2d391 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -1500,6 +1500,40 @@ describe Project, models: true do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'project import state transitions' do
+    context 'state transition: [:started] => [:finished]' do
+      let(:housekeeping_service) { spy }
+
+      before do
+        allow(Projects::HousekeepingService).to receive(:new) { housekeeping_service }
+      end
+
+      it 'performs housekeeping when an import of a fresh project is completed' do
+        project = create(:project_empty_repo, :import_started, import_type: :github)
+
+        project.import_finish
+
+        expect(housekeeping_service).to have_received(:execute)
+      end
+
+      it 'does not perform housekeeping when project repository does not exist' do
+        project = create(:empty_project, :import_started, import_type: :github)
+
+        project.import_finish
+
+        expect(housekeeping_service).not_to have_received(:execute)
+      end
+
+      it 'does not perform housekeeping when project does not have a valid import type' do
+        project = create(:empty_project, :import_started, import_type: nil)
+
+        project.import_finish
+
+        expect(housekeeping_service).not_to have_received(:execute)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#latest_successful_builds_for' do
     def create_pipeline(status = 'success')
       create(:ci_pipeline, project: project,