diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
index 896340145f..8769bf0c8f 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
@@ -362,5 +362,5 @@ int flash_param_load()
 
 int flash_param_import()
 {
-	return param_import_internal(false);
+	return param_import_internal(true);
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/param.h b/src/lib/parameters/param.h
index d94f95d9f8..4aae9d4d5d 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/param.h
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/param.h
@@ -308,10 +308,11 @@ __EXPORT int		param_export(int fd, bool only_unsaved, param_filter_func filter);
  * This function merges the imported parameters with the current parameter set.
  *
  * @param fd		File descriptor to import from (-1 selects the FLASH storage).
+ * @param mark_saved	Whether to mark imported parameters as already saved
  * @return		Zero on success, nonzero if an error occurred during import.
  *			Note that in the failure case, parameters may be inconsistent.
  */
-__EXPORT int		param_import(int fd);
+__EXPORT int		param_import(int fd, bool mark_saved);
 
 /**
  * Load parameters from a file.
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
index 0ed1bacf3c..b991d17707 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
@@ -1300,13 +1300,13 @@ param_import_internal(int fd, bool mark_saved)
 }
 
 int
-param_import(int fd)
+param_import(int fd, bool mark_saved)
 {
 	if (fd < 0) {
 		return flash_param_import();
 	}
 
-	return param_import_internal(fd, false);
+	return param_import_internal(fd, mark_saved);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/parameters_shmem.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/parameters_shmem.cpp
index 6e6ed452c1..a50eb52244 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/parameters_shmem.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/parameters_shmem.cpp
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ param_load_default_no_notify()
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	int result = param_import(fd_load);
+	int result = param_import(fd_load, true);
 
 	close(fd_load);
 
@@ -1351,10 +1351,10 @@ param_import_internal(int fd, bool mark_saved)
 }
 
 int
-param_import(int fd)
+param_import(int fd, bool mark_saved)
 {
 #if !defined(FLASH_BASED_PARAMS)
-	return param_import_internal(fd, false);
+	return param_import_internal(fd, mark_saved);
 #else
 	(void)fd; // unused
 	// no need for locking here
diff --git a/src/systemcmds/param/param.cpp b/src/systemcmds/param/param.cpp
index df8b9b650c..80adb32c27 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/param/param.cpp
+++ b/src/systemcmds/param/param.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ enum class COMPARE_ERROR_LEVEL {
 static int 	do_save(const char *param_file_name);
 static int	do_save_default();
 static int 	do_load(const char *param_file_name);
-static int	do_import(const char *param_file_name);
+static int	do_import(const char *param_file_name = nullptr);
 static int	do_show(const char *search_string, bool only_changed);
 static int	do_show_for_airframe();
 static int	do_show_all();
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ param_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				return do_import(argv[2]);
 
 			} else {
-				return do_import(param_get_default_file());
+				return do_import();
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -428,6 +428,12 @@ do_load(const char *param_file_name)
 static int
 do_import(const char *param_file_name)
 {
+	bool mark_saved = false;
+	if (param_file_name == nullptr) {
+		param_file_name = param_get_default_file();
+		mark_saved = true; // if imported from default storage, mark as saved
+	}
+
 	int fd = -1;
 	if (param_file_name) { // passing NULL means to select the flash storage
 		fd = open(param_file_name, O_RDONLY);
@@ -438,7 +444,7 @@ do_import(const char *param_file_name)
 		}
 	}
 
-	int result = param_import(fd);
+	int result = param_import(fd, mark_saved);
 	if (fd >= 0) {
 		close(fd);
 	}
diff --git a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_parameters.cpp b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_parameters.cpp
index 8ad37cfaed..27eb71775d 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_parameters.cpp
+++ b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_parameters.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ bool ParameterTest::exportImportAll()
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	int result = param_export(fd, false);
+	int result = param_export(fd, false, nullptr);
 
 	if (result != PX4_OK) {
 		PX4_ERR("param_export failed");
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ bool ParameterTest::exportImportAll()
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	result = param_import(fd);
+	result = param_import(fd, false);
 	close(fd);
 
 	if (result < 0) {