diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/__init__.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/__init__.py
index e69de29bb2..7a38b99b5e 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/__init__.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
+from xmodule.modulestore.xml import XMLModuleStore
+
+
+def import_from_xml(org, course, data_dir):
+    """
+    Import the specified xml data_dir into the django defined modulestore,
+    using org and course as the location org and course.
+    """
+    module_store = XMLModuleStore(org, course, data_dir, 'xmodule.raw_module.RawDescriptor', eager=True)
+    for module in module_store.modules.itervalues():
+        modulestore().create_item(module.location)
+        if 'data' in module.definition:
+            modulestore().update_item(module.location, module.definition['data'])
+        if 'children' in module.definition:
+            modulestore().update_children(module.location, module.definition['children'])
+        modulestore().update_metadata(module.location, dict(module.metadata))
+
+    return module_store.course
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
index f97ac10d41..89323c3d9b 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 ###
 
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
-from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
-from xmodule.modulestore.xml import XMLModuleStore
+from contentstore import import_from_xml
 
 unnamed_modules = 0
 
@@ -18,12 +17,4 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             raise CommandError("import requires 3 arguments: <org> <course> <data directory>")
 
         org, course, data_dir = args
-
-        module_store = XMLModuleStore(org, course, data_dir, 'xmodule.raw_module.RawDescriptor', eager=True)
-        for module in module_store.modules.itervalues():
-            modulestore().create_item(module.location)
-            if 'data' in module.definition:
-                modulestore().update_item(module.location, module.definition['data'])
-            if 'children' in module.definition:
-                modulestore().update_children(module.location, module.definition['children'])
-            modulestore().update_metadata(module.location, dict(module.metadata))
+        import_from_xml(org, course, data_dir)