diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/ConfigurationController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/ConfigurationController.php
index a86bd382bf..0c4a6a574f 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/ConfigurationController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/ConfigurationController.php
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ class ConfigurationController extends Controller
                 return $next($request);
             }
         );
-        $this->middleware(IsDemoUser::class)->except(['index']);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/IndexController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/IndexController.php
index b6617e189e..e8f3668660 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/IndexController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/IndexController.php
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ class IndexController extends Controller
                 return $next($request);
             }
         );
-
-        $this->middleware(IsDemoUser::class)->except(['create', 'index']);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/PrerequisitesController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/PrerequisitesController.php
index 42a7b3d243..ced50ba6cf 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Import/PrerequisitesController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Import/PrerequisitesController.php
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ class PrerequisitesController extends Controller
                 return $next($request);
             }
         );
-        $this->middleware(IsDemoUser::class);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/Import/Prerequisites/FilePrerequisites.php b/app/Import/Prerequisites/FilePrerequisites.php
index 4f3fc873ab..e47bb4c797 100644
--- a/app/Import/Prerequisites/FilePrerequisites.php
+++ b/app/Import/Prerequisites/FilePrerequisites.php
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace FireflyIII\Import\Prerequisites;
 
+use FireflyIII\Exceptions\FireflyException;
 use FireflyIII\User;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\MessageBag;
@@ -62,9 +63,13 @@ class FilePrerequisites implements PrerequisitesInterface
      * True if prerequisites. False if not.
      *
      * @return bool
+     * @throws FireflyException
      */
     public function hasPrerequisites(): bool
     {
+        if($this->user->hasRole('demo')) {
+            throw new FireflyException('Apologies, the demo user cannot import files.');
+        }
         return false;
     }