diff --git a/app/db.go b/app/db.go
index 365cd5e..f5cc4cb 100644
--- a/app/db.go
+++ b/app/db.go
@@ -289,14 +289,14 @@ func (db *DB) Del(attr *DbAttr) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (db *DB) Import(attr *DbAttr) error {
+func (db *DB) Import(attr *DbAttr) (string, error) {
 	// open json file into attr.Val
 	if err := attr.GetFileValue(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	if attr.Val == "" {
-		return errors.New("empty json file")
+		return "", errors.New("empty json file")
 	}
 
 	var entries DbEntries
@@ -304,21 +304,21 @@ func (db *DB) Import(attr *DbAttr) error {
 	newfile := db.Dbfile + now.Format("-02.01.2006T03:04.05")
 
 	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(attr.Val), &entries); err != nil {
-		return cleanError(newfile, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal json: %w", err))
+		return "", cleanError(newfile, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal json: %w", err))
 	}
 
 	if fileExists(db.Dbfile) {
 		// backup the old file
 		err := os.Rename(db.Dbfile, newfile)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename file %s to %s: %w", db.Dbfile, newfile, err)
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to rename file %s to %s: %w", db.Dbfile, newfile, err)
 		}
 
 	}
 
 	// should now be a new db file
 	if err := db.Open(); err != nil {
-		return cleanError(newfile, err)
+		return "", cleanError(newfile, err)
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
 
@@ -345,28 +345,9 @@ func (db *DB) Import(attr *DbAttr) error {
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return cleanError(newfile, err)
+		return "", cleanError(newfile, err)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Printf("backed up database file to %s\n", newfile)
-	fmt.Printf("imported %d database entries\n", len(entries))
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func cleanError(file string, err error) error {
-	// remove given [backup] file and forward the given error
-	os.Remove(file)
-	return err
-}
-
-func fileExists(filename string) bool {
-	info, err := os.Stat(filename)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		// return false on any error
-		return false
-	}
-
-	return !info.IsDir()
+	return fmt.Sprintf("backed up database file to %s\nimported %d database entries\n",
+		newfile, len(entries)), nil
 }
diff --git a/app/io.go b/app/io.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..109e770
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/io.go
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/*
+Copyright © 2024 Thomas von Dein
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+package app
+
+import "os"
+
+func cleanError(file string, err error) error {
+	// remove given [backup] file and forward the given error
+	os.Remove(file)
+	return err
+}
+
+func fileExists(filename string) bool {
+	info, err := os.Stat(filename)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		// return false on any error
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return !info.IsDir()
+}
diff --git a/cmd/crud.go b/cmd/crud.go
index 6479f62..f7c8755 100644
--- a/cmd/crud.go
+++ b/cmd/crud.go
@@ -279,7 +279,13 @@ func Import(conf *cfg.Config) *cobra.Command {
 			// errors at this stage do not cause the usage to be shown
 			cmd.SilenceUsage = true
 
-			return conf.DB.Import(&attr)
+			out, err := conf.DB.Import(&attr)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			fmt.Print(out)
+			return nil
 		},
 	}