diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponent.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponent.java
index 098f3e6644..26bb38ebb5 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponent.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponent.java
@@ -1605,7 +1605,7 @@ public class ImporterComponent implements ImporterService
                 // uuid already exists
                 String uuid = node.getUUID();
                 NodeRef existingNodeRef = null;
-                if (uuid == null)
+                if (uuid == null && location.getPath() != null ) //need a valid location where to search
                 {
                     NodeRef parentNodeRef = node.getParentContext().getParentRef();
 
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponentTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponentTest.java
index 7139e14571..7d6a1e9946 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponentTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/importer/ImporterComponentTest.java
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.datatype.DefaultTypeConverter;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.version.VersionHistory;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.version.VersionService;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.view.ImporterBinding.UUID_BINDING;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.view.ImporterBinding;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.view.ImporterContentCache;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.view.ImporterService;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.view.Location;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.NamespaceService;
@@ -251,5 +253,81 @@ public class ImporterComponentTest extends BaseSpringTest
         authenticationComponent.setSystemUserAsCurrentUser();
         System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.dumpNodeStore(nodeService, bootstrapStoreRef));
     }
+    
+    public void testImportFoldersUuidBindingNullUuidNullLocationPath() throws Exception
+    {
+        Location location = new Location(storeRef);
+         
+        InputStream test1 = getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("org/alfresco/repo/importer/import_folders.xml");
+        InputStreamReader testReader1 = new InputStreamReader(test1, "UTF-8");
+        try
+        {
+            importerService.importView(testReader1, location, new ImporterBinding()
+            {
+                
+                @Override
+                public String getValue(String key)
+                {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                
+                @Override
+                public UUID_BINDING getUUIDBinding()
+                {
+                    return UUID_BINDING.UPDATE_EXISTING;
+                }
+                
+                @Override
+                public ImporterContentCache getImportConentCache()
+                {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                
+                @Override
+                public QName[] getExcludedClasses()
+                {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                
+                @Override
+                public boolean allowReferenceWithinTransaction()
+                {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }, new ImportTimerProgress());
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            testReader1.close();
+        }
+        
+        //  - root        
+        //      - Main folder  
+        //          - sub folder 
+        //              - sub folder 1
+        //              - sub folder 2
+        //      - Archive folder
+        
+        NodeRef rootNodeRef = nodeService.getRootNode(storeRef);
+        List<ChildAssociationRef> childAssocs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(
+                rootNodeRef,
+                RegexQNamePattern.MATCH_ALL,
+                new RegexQNamePattern(NamespaceService.CONTENT_MODEL_1_0_URI, "main folder"));
+        assertEquals("'main folder' path not found", 1, childAssocs.size());
+        
+        NodeRef mainFolderNode = childAssocs.get(0).getChildRef();
+        childAssocs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(mainFolderNode);
+        assertEquals("'sub folder' path not found", 1, childAssocs.size());
+        
+        NodeRef subFolderNode = childAssocs.get(0).getChildRef();
+        childAssocs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(subFolderNode);                
+        assertEquals("'subsub folder' path not found", 2, childAssocs.size());
+        
+        childAssocs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(
+                rootNodeRef,
+                RegexQNamePattern.MATCH_ALL,
+                new RegexQNamePattern(NamespaceService.CONTENT_MODEL_1_0_URI, "ArchiveFolder"));
+        assertEquals("'ArchiveFolder' path not found", 1, childAssocs.size());
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/source/test-resources/org/alfresco/repo/importer/import_folders.xml b/source/test-resources/org/alfresco/repo/importer/import_folders.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69f959dc32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/test-resources/org/alfresco/repo/importer/import_folders.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+<view:view xmlns:view="http://www.alfresco.org/view/repository/1.0" xmlns:cm="http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0"
+    xmlns:app="http://www.alfresco.org/model/application/1.0" >
+
+    <cm:folder view:childName="cm:main folder">
+        <app:uifacets/>
+        <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+        <cm:name>main folder</cm:name>
+        <cm:title>main folder</cm:title>        
+        <cm:contains>
+            <cm:folder view:childName="cm:sub folder">
+                <app:uifacets />
+                <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+                <cm:name>sub folder</cm:name>
+                <cm:title>sub folder</cm:title>
+                <cm:contains>
+                    <cm:folder view:childName="cm:subfolder1">
+                        <app:uifacets />
+                        <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+                        <cm:name>sub folder1</cm:name>
+                        <cm:title>sub folder1</cm:title>
+
+                    </cm:folder>
+                    <cm:folder view:childName="cm:subfolder2">
+                        <app:uifacets />
+                        <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+                        <cm:name>sub folder2</cm:name>
+                        <cm:title>sub folder2</cm:title>
+
+                    </cm:folder>
+                    
+                </cm:contains>
+            </cm:folder>
+        </cm:contains>
+    </cm:folder>
+
+    <cm:folder view:childName="cm:ArchiveFolder">
+        <app:uifacets />
+        <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+        <cm:name>ArchiveFolder</cm:name>
+        <cm:title>ArchiveFolder</cm:title>
+        <cm:contains>
+            <cm:folder view:childName="cm:2015">
+                <app:uifacets />
+                <app:icon>space-icon-default</app:icon>
+                <cm:name>2015</cm:name>
+                <cm:title>2015</cm:title>
+            </cm:folder>
+        </cm:contains>
+    </cm:folder>
+
+</view:view>
\ No newline at end of file