diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
index ce828f4859..915987cd64 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/import.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             mstore, data_dir, course_dirs, load_error_modules=False,
             static_content_store=contentstore(), verbose=True,
             do_import_static=do_import_static,
-            create_new_course=True,
+            create_new_course_if_not_present=True,
         )
 
         for course in course_items:
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
index 221852b73b..dfaed92906 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def import_from_xml(
         default_class='xmodule.raw_module.RawDescriptor',
         load_error_modules=True, static_content_store=None,
         target_course_id=None, verbose=False, draft_store=None,
-        do_import_static=True, create_new_course=False):
+        do_import_static=True, create_new_course_if_not_present=False):
     """
     Import the specified xml data_dir into the "store" modulestore,
     using org and course as the location org and course.
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ def import_from_xml(
         time the course is loaded. Static content for some courses may also be
         served directly by nginx, instead of going through django.
 
-    : create_new_course:
-        If True, then courses whose ids already exist in the store are not imported.
+    : create_new_course_if_not_present:
+        If True, then a new course is created if it doesn't already exist.
         The check for existing courses is case-insensitive.
     """
 
@@ -165,24 +165,17 @@ def import_from_xml(
         else:
             dest_course_id = course_key
 
-        if create_new_course:
-            # this tests if exactly this course (ignoring case) exists; so, it checks the run
-            if store.has_course(dest_course_id, ignore_case=True):
-                log.debug(
-                    "Skipping import of course with id, {0},"
-                    "since it collides with an existing one".format(dest_course_id)
-                )
-                continue
-            else:
-                try:
-                    store.create_course(dest_course_id.org, dest_course_id.offering)
-                except InvalidLocationError:
-                    # course w/ same org and course exists and store is old mongo
-                    log.debug(
-                        "Skipping import of course with id, {0},"
-                        "since it collides with an existing one".format(dest_course_id)
-                    )
-                    continue
+        # Creates a new course if it doesn't already exist
+        if create_new_course_if_not_present and not store.has_course(dest_course_id, ignore_case=True):
+            try:
+                store.create_course(dest_course_id.org, dest_course_id.offering)
+            except InvalidLocationError:
+                # course w/ same org and course exists 
+                     log.debug(
+                         "Skipping import of course with id, {0},"
+                         "since it collides with an existing one".format(dest_course_id)
+                     )
+                     continue
 
         try:
             # turn off all write signalling while importing as this