diff --git a/pkg/importer/importer.go b/pkg/importer/importer.go
index 6b9726676..c376a77ae 100644
--- a/pkg/importer/importer.go
+++ b/pkg/importer/importer.go
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ func (h *Host) startPeriodicImporters() {
 			continue
 		}
 		attrs := desBlob.Permanode.Attr
-		if attrs.Get("camliNodeType") != "importerAccount" {
+		if attrs.Get(attrNodeType) != nodeTypeImporterAccount {
 			panic("Search result returned non-importerAccount")
 		}
 		impType := attrs.Get("importerType")
@@ -441,21 +441,41 @@ func (h *Host) startPeriodicImporters() {
 		if !ok {
 			continue
 		}
-		duration, err := time.ParseDuration(attrs.Get(attrImportAuto))
-		if duration == 0 || err != nil {
-			continue
-		}
 		ia, err := imp.account(blob)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("Can't load importer account %v for regular importing: %v", blob, err)
 			continue
 		}
-		log.Printf("Starting regular periodic %v import for account %v: %v", impType, blob, ia)
-		go ia.start()
-		// TODO: do it more than once on start-up.
+		go ia.maybeStart()
 	}
 }
 
+func (ia *importerAcct) maybeStart() {
+	acctObj, err := ia.im.host.ObjectFromRef(ia.acct.PermanodeRef())
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Error maybe starting %v: %v", ia.acct.PermanodeRef(), err)
+		return
+	}
+	duration, err := time.ParseDuration(acctObj.Attr(attrImportAuto))
+	if duration == 0 || err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	ia.mu.Lock()
+	defer ia.mu.Unlock()
+	if ia.current != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if ia.lastRunDone.After(time.Now().Add(-duration)) {
+		sleepFor := ia.lastRunDone.Add(duration).Sub(time.Now())
+		log.Printf("%v ran recently enough. Sleeping for %v.", ia, sleepFor)
+		time.AfterFunc(sleepFor, ia.maybeStart)
+		return
+	}
+
+	log.Printf("Starting regular periodic import for %v", ia)
+	go ia.start()
+}
+
 // BaseURL returns the root of the whole server, without trailing
 // slash.
 func (h *Host) BaseURL() string {
@@ -731,6 +751,10 @@ type importerAcct struct {
 	lastRunDone  time.Time
 }
 
+func (ia *importerAcct) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%v importer account, %v", ia.im.name, ia.acct.PermanodeRef())
+}
+
 func (ia *importerAcct) delete() error {
 	if err := ia.acct.SetAttrs(
 		attrNodeType, nodeTypeImporter+"-deleted",
@@ -873,12 +897,12 @@ func (ia *importerAcct) start() {
 	ia.stopped = false
 	ia.lastRunStart = time.Now()
 	go func() {
-		log.Printf("Starting importer %s: %s", ia.im.name, ia.AccountLinkSummary())
+		log.Printf("Starting %v: %s", ia, ia.AccountLinkSummary())
 		err := ia.im.impl.Run(rc)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("Importer %s error: %v", ia.im.name, err)
+			log.Printf("%v error: %v", ia, err)
 		} else {
-			log.Printf("Importer %s finished.", ia.im.name)
+			log.Printf("%v finished.", ia)
 		}
 		ia.mu.Lock()
 		defer ia.mu.Unlock()
@@ -886,6 +910,7 @@ func (ia *importerAcct) start() {
 		ia.stopped = false
 		ia.lastRunDone = time.Now()
 		ia.lastRunErr = err
+		go ia.maybeStart()
 	}()
 }