diff --git a/src/components/LoadFileMenu/index.tsx b/src/components/LoadFileMenu/index.tsx
index b4b2ec192..2820b9878 100644
--- a/src/components/LoadFileMenu/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/LoadFileMenu/index.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import TRAJECTORIES from "../../constants/networked-trajectories";
 import { URL_PARAM_KEY_FILE_NAME } from "../../constants";
 import {
     ClearSimFileDataAction,
-    ConvertFileAction,
+    ConversionStatus,
     RequestLocalFileAction,
     RequestNetworkFileAction,
 } from "../../state/trajectory/types";
@@ -18,11 +18,10 @@ import { DownArrow } from "../Icons";
 import {
     SetErrorAction,
     SetViewerStatusAction,
-    ViewerStatus,
 } from "../../state/viewer/types";
 
 import styles from "./style.css";
-import { VIEWER_IMPORTING } from "../../state/viewer/constants";
+import { CONVERSION_INACTIVE } from "../../state/trajectory/constants";
 
 interface LoadFileMenuProps {
     isBuffering: boolean;
@@ -31,8 +30,7 @@ interface LoadFileMenuProps {
     loadLocalFile: ActionCreator<RequestLocalFileAction>;
     setViewerStatus: ActionCreator<SetViewerStatusAction>;
     setError: ActionCreator<SetErrorAction>;
-    initializeFileConversionUI: ActionCreator<ConvertFileAction>;
-    viewerStatus: ViewerStatus;
+    conversionStatus: ConversionStatus;
 }
 
 const LoadFileMenu = ({
@@ -42,8 +40,7 @@ const LoadFileMenu = ({
     selectFile,
     setViewerStatus,
     setError,
-    viewerStatus,
-    initializeFileConversionUI: initializeFileConversionUI,
+    conversionStatus,
 }: LoadFileMenuProps): JSX.Element => {
     const [isModalVisible, setIsModalVisible] = useState(false);
     const location = useLocation();
@@ -102,9 +99,6 @@ const LoadFileMenu = ({
                     to={{
                         pathname: IMPORT_PATHNAME,
                     }}
-                    onClick={() => {
-                        initializeFileConversionUI();
-                    }}
                 >
                     Import other file type
                 </Link>
@@ -117,7 +111,9 @@ const LoadFileMenu = ({
             <Dropdown
                 menu={{ items, theme: "dark", className: styles.menu }}
                 placement="bottomRight"
-                disabled={isBuffering || viewerStatus === VIEWER_IMPORTING}
+                disabled={
+                    isBuffering || conversionStatus !== CONVERSION_INACTIVE
+                }
             >
                 <Button
                     className="ant-dropdown-link"
diff --git a/src/containers/AppHeader/index.tsx b/src/containers/AppHeader/index.tsx
index b6489a6ea..efd6fec1d 100644
--- a/src/containers/AppHeader/index.tsx
+++ b/src/containers/AppHeader/index.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { connect } from "react-redux";
 
 import {
     ClearSimFileDataAction,
-    ConvertFileAction,
+    ConversionStatus,
     isLocalFileInterface,
     isNetworkSimFileInterface,
     LocalSimFile,
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import viewerStateBranch from "../../state/viewer";
 import {
     SetViewerStatusAction,
     SetErrorAction,
-    ViewerStatus,
 } from "../../state/viewer/types";
 
 import styles from "./style.css";
@@ -37,8 +36,7 @@ interface AppHeaderProps {
     changeToNetworkedFile: ActionCreator<RequestNetworkFileAction>;
     setViewerStatus: ActionCreator<SetViewerStatusAction>;
     setError: ActionCreator<SetErrorAction>;
-    convertFile: ActionCreator<ConvertFileAction>;
-    viewerStatus: ViewerStatus;
+    conversionStatus: ConversionStatus;
 }
 
 class AppHeader extends React.Component<AppHeaderProps> {
@@ -48,11 +46,10 @@ class AppHeader extends React.Component<AppHeaderProps> {
             isBuffering,
             changeToLocalSimulariumFile: loadLocalFile,
             changeToNetworkedFile: loadNetworkFile,
-            convertFile,
             setViewerStatus,
             clearSimulariumFile,
             setError,
-            viewerStatus,
+            conversionStatus,
         } = this.props;
         let lastModified = 0;
         let displayName = "";
@@ -86,8 +83,7 @@ class AppHeader extends React.Component<AppHeaderProps> {
                         setViewerStatus={setViewerStatus}
                         isBuffering={isBuffering}
                         setError={setError}
-                        initializeFileConversionUI={convertFile}
-                        viewerStatus={viewerStatus}
+                        conversionStatus={conversionStatus}
                     />
                     <HelpMenu key="help" />
                     <div className={styles.pipe}>|</div>
@@ -106,7 +102,8 @@ function mapStateToProps(state: State) {
         simulariumFile:
             trajectoryStateBranch.selectors.getSimulariumFile(state),
         isBuffering: viewerStateBranch.selectors.getIsBuffering(state),
-        viewerStatus: viewerStateBranch.selectors.getStatus(state),
+        conversionStatus:
+            trajectoryStateBranch.selectors.getConversionStatus(state),
     };
 }
 
@@ -117,7 +114,6 @@ const dispatchToPropsMap = {
     clearSimulariumFile: trajectoryStateBranch.actions.clearSimulariumFile,
     setViewerStatus: viewerStateBranch.actions.setStatus,
     setError: viewerStateBranch.actions.setError,
-    convertFile: trajectoryStateBranch.actions.convertFile,
 };
 
 export default connect(mapStateToProps, dispatchToPropsMap)(AppHeader);
diff --git a/src/containers/ConversionForm/index.tsx b/src/containers/ConversionForm/index.tsx
index d09f13392..5b5160d83 100644
--- a/src/containers/ConversionForm/index.tsx
+++ b/src/containers/ConversionForm/index.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import trajectoryStateBranch from "../../state/trajectory";
 import viewerStateBranch from "../../state/viewer";
 import {
     ConversionStatus,
+    InitializeConversionAction,
     ReceiveFileToConvertAction,
     SetConversionEngineAction,
 } from "../../state/trajectory/types";
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ interface ConversionProps {
     };
     receiveFileToConvert: ActionCreator<ReceiveFileToConvertAction>;
     setError: ActionCreator<SetErrorAction>;
+    initializeConversion: ActionCreator<InitializeConversionAction>;
     conversionStatus: ConversionStatus;
 }
 
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ const ConversionForm = ({
     conversionProcessingData,
     setError,
     receiveFileToConvert,
+    initializeConversion,
     conversionStatus,
 }: ConversionProps): JSX.Element => {
     const [fileToConvert, setFileToConvert] = useState<UploadFile>();
@@ -74,10 +77,8 @@ const ConversionForm = ({
     const [isProcessing, setIsProcessing] = useState<boolean>(false);
     const [fileTypeErrorModalOpen, setFileTypeErrorModalOpen] = useState(false);
 
-    // On load, configure controller and check if server is healthy
     useEffect(() => {
-        // calling this with null payload configures the controller and checks server health
-        receiveFileToConvert(null);
+        initializeConversion();
     }, []);
 
     // TODO delete after development, useEffect to log a change in server health
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ const dispatchToPropsMap = {
     receiveFileToConvert: trajectoryStateBranch.actions.receiveFileToConvert,
     setError: viewerStateBranch.actions.setError,
     setConversionEngine: trajectoryStateBranch.actions.setConversionEngine,
+    initializeConversion: trajectoryStateBranch.actions.initializeConversion,
 };
 
 export default connect(mapStateToProps, dispatchToPropsMap)(ConversionForm);
diff --git a/src/containers/ModelPanel/index.tsx b/src/containers/ModelPanel/index.tsx
index cfdb555c6..74b511329 100644
--- a/src/containers/ModelPanel/index.tsx
+++ b/src/containers/ModelPanel/index.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ import {
 import {
     VIEWER_EMPTY,
     VIEWER_ERROR,
-    VIEWER_IMPORTING,
     VIEWER_LOADING,
     VIEWER_SUCCESS,
 } from "../../state/viewer/constants";
@@ -96,7 +95,6 @@ class ModelPanel extends React.Component<ModelPanelProps> {
             [VIEWER_SUCCESS]: checkboxTree,
             [VIEWER_EMPTY]: <NoTrajectoriesText selectFile={loadNetworkFile} />,
             [VIEWER_LOADING]: <div />,
-            [VIEWER_IMPORTING]: <div />,
             [VIEWER_ERROR]: isNetworkedFile ? (
                 <NetworkFileFailedText />
             ) : (
diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index c9d4f3342..8e5eefc10 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ const { Header } = Layout;
 
 import "./style.css";
 import { setIsPlaying, setStatus } from "./state/viewer/actions";
-import { clearSimulariumFile } from "./state/trajectory/actions";
-import { VIEWER_EMPTY, VIEWER_IMPORTING } from "./state/viewer/constants";
+import {
+    clearSimulariumFile,
+    setConversionStatus,
+} from "./state/trajectory/actions";
+import { VIEWER_EMPTY } from "./state/viewer/constants";
+import { CONVERSION_NO_SERVER } from "./state/trajectory/constants";
 
 export const store = createReduxStore();
 interface LocationWithState extends Location {
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ function useLocationChange() {
         if (location.pathname === IMPORT_PATHNAME) {
             batch(() => {
                 dispatch(setIsPlaying(false));
-                dispatch(setStatus({ status: VIEWER_IMPORTING }));
+                dispatch(setConversionStatus({ status: CONVERSION_NO_SERVER }));
             });
         } else if (location.pathname === VIEWER_PATHNAME) {
             batch(() => {
diff --git a/src/state/viewer/constants.ts b/src/state/viewer/constants.ts
index eb8f03fbc..e67af76dd 100644
--- a/src/state/viewer/constants.ts
+++ b/src/state/viewer/constants.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,3 @@ export const VIEWER_EMPTY = "empty";
 export const VIEWER_LOADING = "loading";
 export const VIEWER_ERROR = "error";
 export const VIEWER_SUCCESS = "success";
-export const VIEWER_IMPORTING = "importing";
diff --git a/src/state/viewer/types.ts b/src/state/viewer/types.ts
index c0fe8635c..5a7fdfbf2 100644
--- a/src/state/viewer/types.ts
+++ b/src/state/viewer/types.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import {
     VIEWER_ERROR,
     VIEWER_EMPTY,
     VIEWER_SUCCESS,
-    VIEWER_IMPORTING,
 } from "./constants";
 
 export interface ViewerStateBranch {
@@ -46,10 +45,8 @@ type VIEWER_LOADING = typeof VIEWER_LOADING;
 type VIEWER_ERROR = typeof VIEWER_ERROR;
 type VIEWER_EMPTY = typeof VIEWER_EMPTY;
 type VIEWER_SUCCESS = typeof VIEWER_SUCCESS;
-type VIEWER_IMPORTING = typeof VIEWER_IMPORTING;
 export type ViewerStatus =
     | VIEWER_LOADING
     | VIEWER_ERROR
     | VIEWER_EMPTY
-    | VIEWER_SUCCESS
-    | VIEWER_IMPORTING;
+    | VIEWER_SUCCESS;