diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo.py
index c5e5bbfdf8..4ec7a699e0 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo.py
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
         self.fs_root = path(fs_root)
         self.error_tracker = error_tracker
         self.render_template = render_template
+        self.ignore_write_events_on_courses = []
 
     def get_metadata_inheritance_tree(self, location):
         '''
@@ -329,6 +330,11 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
 
         return tree
 
+    def refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(self, location):
+        pseudo_course_id = '/'.join([location.org, location.course])
+        if pseudo_course_id not in self.ignore_write_events_on_courses:
+           self.get_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(location, force_refresh = True)
+
     def clear_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(self, location):
         key_name = '{0}/{1}'.format(location.org, location.course)       
         if self.metadata_inheritance_cache is not None:
@@ -519,7 +525,7 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
             raise DuplicateItemError(location)
 
         # recompute (and update) the metadata inheritance tree which is cached
-        self.get_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location), force_refresh = True)
+        self.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location))
 
     def get_course_for_item(self, location, depth=0):
         '''
@@ -586,7 +592,7 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
 
         self._update_single_item(location, {'definition.children': children})
         # recompute (and update) the metadata inheritance tree which is cached
-        self.get_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location), force_refresh = True)
+        self.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location))
 
     def update_metadata(self, location, metadata):
         """
@@ -612,7 +618,7 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
 
         self._update_single_item(location, {'metadata': metadata})
         # recompute (and update) the metadata inheritance tree which is cached
-        self.get_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(loc, force_refresh = True)      
+        self.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(loc)      
 
     def delete_item(self, location):
         """
@@ -632,7 +638,7 @@ class MongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
 
         self.collection.remove({'_id': Location(location).dict()})
         # recompute (and update) the metadata inheritance tree which is cached
-        self.get_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location), force_refresh = True)  
+        self.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(Location(location))  
 
 
     def get_parent_locations(self, location, course_id):
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
index fa232596f2..5955b0ebe7 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
@@ -201,6 +201,16 @@ def import_from_xml(store, data_dir, course_dirs=None,
     course_items = []
     for course_id in module_store.modules.keys():
 
+        if target_location_namespace is not None:
+            pseudo_course_id = '/'.join([target_location_namespace.org, target_location_namespace.course])
+        else:
+            course_id_components = course_id.split('/')
+            pseudo_course_id = '/'.join([course_id_components[0], course_id_components[1]])
+
+        # turn off all write signalling while importing as this is a high volume operation
+        if pseudo_course_id not in store.ignore_write_events_on_courses:
+            store.ignore_write_events_on_courses.append(pseudo_course_id)
+
         course_data_path = None
         course_location = None
 
@@ -296,6 +306,12 @@ def import_from_xml(store, data_dir, course_dirs=None,
             # inherited metadata everywhere.
             store.update_metadata(module.location, dict(own_metadata(module)))
 
+        # turn back on all write signalling
+        if pseudo_course_id  in store.ignore_write_events_on_courses:
+            store.ignore_write_events_on_courses.remove(pseudo_course_id)
+            store.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(target_location_namespace if 
+                target_location_namespace is not None else course_location)
+
     return module_store, course_items
 
 def remap_namespace(module, target_location_namespace):