diff --git a/src/imex/transfer.rs b/src/imex/transfer.rs
index e789048f4..664e8ca89 100644
--- a/src/imex/transfer.rs
+++ b/src/imex/transfer.rs
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ use iroh::provider::{DataSource, Event, Provider, Ticket};
 use iroh::Hash;
 use tokio::fs::{self, File};
 use tokio::io::{self, AsyncWriteExt, BufWriter};
-use tokio::sync::broadcast;
 use tokio::sync::broadcast::error::RecvError;
-use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
+use tokio::sync::{broadcast, Mutex};
+use tokio::task::{JoinHandle, JoinSet};
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::ReadDirStream;
 
 use crate::blob::BlobDirContents;
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::qr::Qr;
 use crate::{e2ee, EventType};
 
-use super::{export_database, DeleteOnDrop, DBFILE_BACKUP_NAME};
+use super::{export_database, DBFILE_BACKUP_NAME};
 
 /// Provide or send a backup of this device.
 ///
@@ -423,7 +423,9 @@ async fn transfer_from_provider(
         connected = true;
         async { Ok(()) }
     };
-    let on_blob = |hash, reader, name| on_blob(context, &progress, ticket, hash, reader, name);
+    let jobs = Mutex::new(JoinSet::default());
+    let on_blob =
+        |hash, reader, name| on_blob(context, &progress, &jobs, ticket, hash, reader, name);
     let res = iroh::get::run(
         ticket.hash,
         ticket.token,
@@ -437,6 +439,12 @@ async fn transfer_from_provider(
         on_blob,
     )
     .await;
+
+    let mut jobs = jobs.lock().await;
+    while let Some(job) = jobs.join_next().await {
+        job.context("job failed").map_err(TransferError::Other)?;
+    }
+
     drop(progress);
     res.map(|_| ()).map_err(|err| match connected {
         true => TransferError::Other(err),
@@ -451,6 +459,7 @@ async fn transfer_from_provider(
 async fn on_blob(
     context: &Context,
     progress: &ProgressEmitter,
+    jobs: &Mutex<JoinSet<()>>,
     ticket: &Ticket,
     _hash: Hash,
     mut reader: DataStream,
@@ -473,11 +482,6 @@ async fn on_blob(
         let blobname = name.rsplit('/').next().context("malformatted blob name")?;
         context.get_blobdir().join(blobname)
     };
-    let _guard = if name.starts_with("db/") {
-        Some(DeleteOnDrop(path.clone()))
-    } else {
-        None
-    };
 
     let mut wrapped_reader = progress.wrap_async_read(&mut reader);
     let file = File::create(&path).await?;
@@ -486,14 +490,21 @@ async fn on_blob(
     file.flush().await?;
 
     if name.starts_with("db/") {
-        context
-            .sql
-            .import(&path, ticket.token.to_string())
-            .await
-            .context("cannot import database")?;
-        fs::remove_file(&path)
-            .await
-            .with_context(|| format!("database import file: {}", path.display()))?;
+        let context = context.clone();
+        let token = ticket.token.to_string();
+        jobs.lock().await.spawn(async move {
+            if let Err(err) = context.sql.import(&path, token).await {
+                error!(context, "cannot import database: {:#?}", err);
+            }
+            if let Err(err) = fs::remove_file(&path).await {
+                error!(
+                    context,
+                    "failed to delete database import file '{}': {:#?}",
+                    path.display(),
+                    err,
+                );
+            }
+        });
     }
     Ok(reader)
 }