diff --git a/wp-admin/import.php b/wp-admin/import.php
index 0200e56136..f64c5b7011 100644
--- a/wp-admin/import.php
+++ b/wp-admin/import.php
@@ -113,10 +113,16 @@ if (empty ($importers)) {
 											'"title="' . esc_attr__('Activate importer') . '"">' . $data[0] . '</a>';
 				}
 			}
-			if ( empty($action) )
-				$action = '<a href="' . esc_url( network_admin_url( 'plugin-install.php?tab=plugin-information&plugin=' . $plugin_slug .
+			if ( empty($action) ) {
+				if ( is_main_site() ) {
+					$action = '<a href="' . esc_url( network_admin_url( 'plugin-install.php?tab=plugin-information&plugin=' . $plugin_slug .
 										'&from=import&TB_iframe=true&width=600&height=550' ) ) . '" class="thickbox" title="' .
 										esc_attr__('Install importer') . '">' . $data[0] . '</a>';
+				} else {
+					$action = $data[0];
+					$data[1] = sprintf( __( 'This importer is not installed. Please install importers from <a href="%s">the main site</a>.' ), get_admin_url( $current_site->blog_id, 'import.php' ) );
+				}
+			}
 		} else {
 			$action = "<a href='" . esc_url("admin.php?import=$id") . "' title='" . esc_attr( wptexturize(strip_tags($data[1])) ) ."'>{$data[0]}</a>";
 		}