diff --git a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/attachment_importer.rb b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/attachment_importer.rb
index e41ca7a1209..37f7695c9c7 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/attachment_importer.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/attachment_importer.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module ImportScripts::PhpBB3
         filename = CGI.unescapeHTML(row[:real_filename])
         upload = @uploader.create_upload(user_id, path, filename)
 
-        if upload.nil? || !upload.valid?
+        if upload.nil? || !upload.persisted?
           puts "Failed to upload #{path}"
           puts upload.errors.inspect if upload
         else
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/avatar_importer.rb b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/avatar_importer.rb
index 3db8b701004..825bc445faf 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/avatar_importer.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/importers/avatar_importer.rb
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@ module ImportScripts::PhpBB3
         filename = "avatar#{File.extname(path)}"
         upload = @uploader.create_upload(user.id, path, filename)
 
-        if upload.persisted?
+        if upload.present? && upload.persisted?
           user.import_mode = false
           user.create_user_avatar
           user.import_mode = true
           user.user_avatar.update(custom_upload_id: upload.id)
           user.update(uploaded_avatar_id: upload.id)
         else
-          Rails.logger.error("Could not persist avatar for user #{user.username}")
+          puts "Failed to upload avatar for user #{user.username}: #{path}"
+          puts upload.errors.inspect if upload
         end
       rescue SystemCallError => err
         Rails.logger.error("Could not import avatar for user #{user.username}: #{err.message}")
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/support/smiley_processor.rb b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/support/smiley_processor.rb
index f79a24c4659..1737e446ce9 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/support/smiley_processor.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/phpbb3/support/smiley_processor.rb
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ module ImportScripts::PhpBB3
       filename = File.basename(path)
       upload = @uploader.create_upload(Discourse::SYSTEM_USER_ID, path, filename)
 
-      if upload.nil? || !upload.valid?
+      if upload.nil? || !upload.persisted?
         puts "Failed to upload #{path}"
         puts upload.errors.inspect if upload
         html = nil