diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 71273aaa2a..d8a0ed844f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -97,6 +97,16 @@ deploy:
     paths:
       - terraform/plan.json
 
+import:
+  extends: .base_on_push
+  stage: deploy
+  timeout: 5m  # probably needs to be extended
+  needs:
+    - build_image
+    - deploy
+  script:
+    - make import
+
 deploy_browser:
   extends: .base_on_push
   stage: deploy
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 76f90f7beb..e1badd96e8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -102,13 +102,16 @@ $(1)terraform: lambdas
 
 .PHONY: $(1)deploy
 $(1)deploy: check_python $(1)terraform
-	python $(project_root)/scripts/reindex.py --import --sources "tdr:${GOOGLE_PROJECT}:snapshot/*"
-	python $(project_root)/scripts/verify_tdr_sources.py
 endef
 
 $(eval $(call deploy,))
 $(eval $(call deploy,auto_))
 
+.PHONY: import
+import: check_python
+	python $(project_root)/scripts/reindex.py --import --sources "tdr:${GOOGLE_PROJECT}:snapshot/*"
+	python $(project_root)/scripts/verify_tdr_sources.py
+
 .PHONY: destroy
 destroy:
 	$(MAKE) -C terraform destroy