diff --git a/app/Livewire/Project/Database/ImportForm.php b/app/Livewire/Project/Database/ImportForm.php
index 23fafd969a..7fe8c8abef 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Project/Database/ImportForm.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Project/Database/ImportForm.php
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use App\Support\DatabaseImport\DatabaseImportException;
 use App\Support\DatabaseImport\DatabaseImportSource;
 use App\Support\ValidationPatterns;
 use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\Access\AuthorizesRequests;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 use Livewire\Attributes\Computed;
 use Livewire\Attributes\Locked;
@@ -179,6 +180,13 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
 
     public string $customLocation = '';
 
+    /**
+     * The file source the user selected: 'upload' after a completed upload, 'server' after a checked server path.
+     * Only the server sets it, so an import never falls back to an older upload.
+     */
+    #[Locked]
+    public ?string $fileSource = null;
+
     public ?int $activityId = null;
 
     // S3 Restore properties
@@ -429,14 +437,14 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
             }
 
             try {
-                $escapedPath = escapeshellarg($this->customLocation);
-                $result = instant_remote_process(["ls -l {$escapedPath}"], $this->server, throwError: false);
-                if (blank($result)) {
+                if (! $this->serverFileExists($this->customLocation)) {
                     $this->dispatch('error', 'The file does not exist or has been deleted.');
 
                     return;
                 }
                 $this->filename = $this->customLocation;
+                $this->fileSource = 'server';
+                $this->discardStagedUpload();
                 $this->selectSqliteDatabaseFor($this->customLocation);
                 $this->dispatch('success', 'The file exists.');
             } catch (\Throwable $e) {
@@ -445,6 +453,62 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
         }
     }
 
+    public function updatedCustomLocation(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->fileSource === 'server') {
+            $this->fileSource = null;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by the upload form after an upload is complete.
+     */
+    public function selectUploadedFile(string $name): void
+    {
+        $this->authorize('update', $this->resource);
+
+        if (! Storage::exists($this->stagedUploadPath())) {
+            $this->fileSource = null;
+            $this->dispatch('error', 'The uploaded file was not found. Please upload it again.');
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->fileSource = 'upload';
+        $this->customLocation = '';
+        $this->selectSqliteDatabaseFor($name);
+    }
+
+    private function stagedUploadPath(): string
+    {
+        return "upload/{$this->resource->uuid}/restore";
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Delete an upload that was not imported when the user selects another source. Skipped while
+     * an import of this database runs, because that import can still copy the upload.
+     */
+    private function discardStagedUpload(): void
+    {
+        $lock = Cache::lock(StartDatabaseImport::lockKey($this->resource->uuid), 60);
+        if (! $lock->get()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try {
+            Storage::delete($this->stagedUploadPath());
+        } finally {
+            $lock->release();
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected function serverFileExists(string $path): bool
+    {
+        $escapedPath = escapeshellarg($path);
+
+        return filled(instant_remote_process(["ls -l {$escapedPath}"], $this->server, throwError: false));
+    }
+
     public function runImport(string $password = ''): bool|string
     {
         if (! verifyPasswordConfirmation($password, $this)) {
@@ -459,7 +523,7 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
             return true;
         }
 
-        if ($this->filename === '') {
+        if (! in_array($this->fileSource, ['upload', 'server'], true)) {
             $this->dispatch('error', 'Please select a file to import.');
 
             return true;
@@ -473,7 +537,10 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
 
         try {
             $this->importRunning = true;
-            $source = Storage::exists("upload/{$this->resourceUuid}/restore")
+            if ($this->fileSource === 'server') {
+                $this->discardStagedUpload();
+            }
+            $source = $this->fileSource === 'upload'
                 ? new DatabaseImportSource('upload', dumpAll: $this->dumpAll, replaceExisting: $this->replaceExisting, keepOwners: $this->keepOwners, sqliteDatabase: $this->sqliteDatabase, restoreMysqlUsers: $this->restoreMysqlUsers)
                 : new DatabaseImportSource('server', path: $this->customLocation, dumpAll: $this->dumpAll, replaceExisting: $this->replaceExisting, keepOwners: $this->keepOwners, sqliteDatabase: $this->sqliteDatabase, restoreMysqlUsers: $this->restoreMysqlUsers);
             $activity = StartDatabaseImport::run($this->resource, $source, (int) $this->resourceTeamId());
@@ -497,6 +564,7 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
             return true;
         } finally {
             $this->filename = null;
+            $this->fileSource = null;
             $this->importCommands = [];
         }
 
@@ -637,6 +705,7 @@ class ImportForm extends Component
 
         try {
             $this->importRunning = true;
+            $this->discardStagedUpload();
             $source = new DatabaseImportSource('s3', path: $this->s3Path, s3StorageUuid: (string) $this->s3StorageId, dumpAll: $this->dumpAll, replaceExisting: $this->replaceExisting, keepOwners: $this->keepOwners, sqliteDatabase: $this->sqliteDatabase, restoreMysqlUsers: $this->restoreMysqlUsers);
             $activity = StartDatabaseImport::run($this->resource, $source, (int) $this->resourceTeamId());
             $this->activityId = $activity->id;
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/project/database/import-form.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/project/database/import-form.blade.php
index 0462b81f0c..bc1f86c451 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/project/database/import-form.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/project/database/import-form.blade.php
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@
                 });
                 this.on('complete', function (file) {
                     $wire.filename = file.name;
-                    $wire.selectSqliteDatabaseFor(file.name);
+                    if (file.status === Dropzone.SUCCESS) {
+                        $wire.selectUploadedFile(file.name);
+                    }
                     $wire.filesize = Number(file.size / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(2) + ' MB';
                     $wire.isUploading = false;
                 });
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormResourceTeamTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormResourceTeamTest.php
index 29db848a8b..b8dce3e53b 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormResourceTeamTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormResourceTeamTest.php
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class ImportFormResourceTeamTestComponent extends ImportForm
         $this->loadAvailableS3Storages();
     }
 
+    protected function serverFileExists(string $path): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     public function render()
     {
         return view('livewire.project.database.import-form');
@@ -106,7 +111,8 @@ test('a file import started after a session team switch runs for the database te
         ->andReturn(fakeStartedDatabaseImport());
 
     importFormAfterTeamSwitch()
-        ->set('filename', 'backup.dump')
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/backup.dump')
+        ->call('checkFile')
         ->call('runImport')
         ->assertNotDispatched('error')
         ->assertDispatched('databaserestore');
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormRunningStateTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormRunningStateTest.php
index a355be7782..70ae33de3a 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormRunningStateTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormRunningStateTest.php
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ class ImportFormRunningStateTestComponent extends ImportForm
         $this->loadAvailableS3Storages();
     }
 
+    protected function serverFileExists(string $path): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     public function render()
     {
         return view('livewire.project.database.import-form');
@@ -78,7 +83,8 @@ function importForm(): Testable
         'database' => test()->database,
         'server' => test()->server,
     ])
-        ->set('filename', 'backup.dump')
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/backup.dump')
+        ->call('checkFile')
         ->set('s3StorageId', 1)
         ->set('s3Path', '/backups/backup.dump')
         ->set('s3FileSize', 1024);
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormSourceSelectionTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormSourceSelectionTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1028488a4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportFormSourceSelectionTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Actions\Database\StartDatabaseImport;
+use App\Livewire\Project\Database\ImportForm;
+use App\Models\Environment;
+use App\Models\InstanceSettings;
+use App\Models\Project;
+use App\Models\Server;
+use App\Models\StandaloneDocker;
+use App\Models\StandalonePostgresql;
+use App\Models\Team;
+use App\Models\User;
+use App\Support\DatabaseImport\DatabaseImportSource;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use Livewire\Features\SupportTesting\Testable;
+use Livewire\Livewire;
+use Spatie\Activitylog\Models\Activity;
+
+uses(RefreshDatabase::class);
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+    Server::flushIdentityMap();
+    Storage::fake();
+    InstanceSettings::forceCreate([
+        'id' => 0,
+        'disable_two_step_confirmation' => true,
+    ]);
+
+    $this->team = Team::factory()->create();
+    $this->user = User::factory()->create();
+    $this->team->members()->attach($this->user, ['role' => 'admin']);
+    $this->actingAs($this->user);
+    session(['currentTeam' => $this->team]);
+
+    $this->server = Server::factory()->create(['team_id' => $this->team->id]);
+    $destination = StandaloneDocker::firstOrCreate(
+        ['server_id' => $this->server->id, 'network' => 'coolify'],
+        ['uuid' => (string) Str::uuid(), 'name' => 'docker']
+    );
+    $project = Project::factory()->create(['team_id' => $this->team->id]);
+    $environment = Environment::factory()->create(['project_id' => $project->id]);
+    $this->database = StandalonePostgresql::create([
+        'uuid' => (string) Str::uuid(),
+        'name' => 'db',
+        'postgres_user' => 'postgres',
+        'postgres_password' => 'password',
+        'postgres_db' => 'db',
+        'image' => 'postgres:17',
+        'status' => 'running',
+        'environment_id' => $environment->id,
+        'destination_id' => $destination->id,
+        'destination_type' => $destination->getMorphClass(),
+    ]);
+    $this->stagedUpload = "upload/{$this->database->uuid}/restore";
+});
+
+class ImportFormSourceSelectionTestComponent extends ImportForm
+{
+    public function mount($database = null, $server = null): void
+    {
+        $this->resourceId = $database->id;
+        $this->resourceType = $database::class;
+        $this->serverId = $server->id;
+        $this->container = $database->uuid;
+        $this->resourceUuid = $database->uuid;
+        $this->resourceStatus = $database->status ?? '';
+        $this->resourceDbType = $database->type();
+    }
+
+    protected function serverFileExists(string $path): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    public function render()
+    {
+        return view('livewire.project.database.import-form');
+    }
+}
+
+function importFormSourceSelection(): Testable
+{
+    return Livewire::test(ImportFormSourceSelectionTestComponent::class, [
+        'database' => test()->database,
+        'server' => test()->server,
+    ]);
+}
+
+function expectImportFromSource(string $type, ?string $path = null): void
+{
+    StartDatabaseImport::shouldRun()->once()
+        ->withArgs(fn ($resource, DatabaseImportSource $source): bool => $source->type === $type && $source->path === $path)
+        ->andReturn(Activity::create(['log_name' => 'default', 'description' => 'queued', 'properties' => ['status' => 'queued']]));
+}
+
+test('a server path import ignores and deletes an earlier upload that was not imported', function () {
+    Storage::put($this->stagedUpload, 'old upload');
+    expectImportFromSource('server', '/backups/server.dump');
+
+    importFormSourceSelection()
+        ->set('replaceExisting', true)
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/server.dump')
+        ->call('checkFile')
+        ->call('runImport')
+        ->assertNotDispatched('error')
+        ->assertDispatched('databaserestore');
+
+    expect(Storage::exists($this->stagedUpload))->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+test('an upload import uses the uploaded file', function () {
+    expectImportFromSource('upload');
+
+    $form = importFormSourceSelection()
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/server.dump')
+        ->call('checkFile');
+
+    Storage::put($this->stagedUpload, 'new upload');
+
+    $form->call('selectUploadedFile', 'backup.dump')
+        ->assertSet('customLocation', '')
+        ->call('runImport')
+        ->assertNotDispatched('error')
+        ->assertDispatched('databaserestore');
+});
+
+test('an upload is not selected when the staged file is missing', function () {
+    StartDatabaseImport::shouldRun()->never();
+
+    importFormSourceSelection()
+        ->call('selectUploadedFile', 'backup.dump')
+        ->assertDispatched('error')
+        ->call('runImport')
+        ->assertDispatched('error', 'Please select a file to import.');
+});
+
+test('a server path changed after the check is not imported', function () {
+    Storage::put($this->stagedUpload, 'old upload');
+    StartDatabaseImport::shouldRun()->never();
+
+    importFormSourceSelection()
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/server.dump')
+        ->call('checkFile')
+        ->set('customLocation', '/backups/other.dump')
+        ->call('runImport')
+        ->assertDispatched('error', 'Please select a file to import.');
+});
+
+test('an S3 restore deletes an earlier upload that was not imported', function () {
+    Storage::put($this->stagedUpload, 'old upload');
+    StartDatabaseImport::shouldRun()->once()
+        ->withArgs(fn ($resource, DatabaseImportSource $source): bool => $source->type === 's3')
+        ->andReturn(Activity::create(['log_name' => 'default', 'description' => 'queued', 'properties' => ['status' => 'queued']]));
+
+    importFormSourceSelection()
+        ->set('s3StorageId', 1)
+        ->set('s3Path', '/backups/backup.dump')
+        ->set('s3FileSize', 1024)
+        ->call('restoreFromS3')
+        ->assertDispatched('databaserestore');
+
+    expect(Storage::exists($this->stagedUpload))->toBeFalse();
+});
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportRestoreOptionsTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportRestoreOptionsTest.php
index fd3e48db47..bb254d96e0 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportRestoreOptionsTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseImportRestoreOptionsTest.php
@@ -97,6 +97,11 @@ class ImportFormRestoreOptionsTestComponent extends ImportForm
         $this->initializeRestoreOptions();
     }
 
+    protected function serverFileExists(string $path): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     public function render()
     {
         return view('livewire.project.database.import-form');
@@ -151,7 +156,7 @@ test('the import form strips owners by default and keeps them when the option is
     $form->set('keepOwners', true);
     expect($form->get('restoreCommandText'))->not->toContain('--no-owner');
 
-    $form->set('filename', 'backup.dump')->set('customLocation', '/backups/backup.dump')->call('runImport');
+    $form->set('customLocation', '/backups/backup.dump')->call('checkFile')->call('runImport');
 });
 
 test('passes the restore users option to the MariaDB all-databases restore script', function (bool $restoreMysqlUsers) {
@@ -174,7 +179,7 @@ test('the import form skips MySQL users by default and restores them when the op
     $form->set('restoreMysqlUsers', true)->assertSee('passwords');
     expect($form->get('restoreCommandText'))->not->toContain('awk');
 
-    $form->set('filename', 'all.sql.gz')->set('customLocation', '/backups/all.sql.gz')->call('runImport');
+    $form->set('customLocation', '/backups/all.sql.gz')->call('checkFile')->call('runImport');
 });
 
 test('the import form does not offer the restore users option for PostgreSQL', function () {
@@ -194,7 +199,7 @@ test('the import form lets the user pick the SQLite database file to restore int
         ->assertSet('sqliteDatabase', 'cache.db');
     expect($form->get('restoreCommandText'))->toContain("'/var/lib/sqlite/cache.db'");
 
-    $form->set('filename', 'backup.gz')->set('customLocation', '/backups/backup.gz')->call('runImport');
+    $form->set('customLocation', '/backups/sqlite-backup-cache.db-1700000000.gz')->call('checkFile')->assertSet('sqliteDatabase', 'cache.db')->call('runImport');
 });
 
 test('the import form does not accept a SQLite target from the client that is not a database file', function () {