diff --git a/src/defs.h b/src/defs.h
index b166b3ed..0d7a11f5 100644
--- a/src/defs.h
+++ b/src/defs.h
@@ -313,7 +313,6 @@ struct import {
    char *skiplist;
    char *folder_imap;
    char *folder_name;
-   char *directory;
    char *mboxdir;
    char *folder;
    char filename[SMALLBUFSIZE];
diff --git a/src/import.h b/src/import.h
index 1659deb1..21e3f082 100644
--- a/src/import.h
+++ b/src/import.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 int import_message(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg);
 
-int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg);
+int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, char *directory, struct config *cfg);
 int import_from_mailbox(char *mailbox, struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg);
 int import_mbox_from_dir(char *directory, struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg);
 void import_from_pop3_server(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg);
diff --git a/src/import_maildir.c b/src/import_maildir.c
index dc4e3f7a..08fc319b 100644
--- a/src/import_maildir.c
+++ b/src/import_maildir.c
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@
 #include <piler.h>
 
 
-int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct config *cfg){
+int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, char *directory, struct config *cfg){
    DIR *dir;
    struct dirent *de;
    int rc=ERR, ret=OK, i=0;
    int folder;
-   char *p;
+   char *p, subdir[SMALLBUFSIZE];
    struct stat st;
 
-   dir = opendir(data->import->directory);
+   dir = opendir(directory);
    if(!dir){
-      printf("cannot open directory: %s\n", data->import->directory);
+      printf("cannot open directory: %s\n", directory);
       return ERR;
    }
 
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct co
    while((de = readdir(dir))){
       if(strcmp(de->d_name, ".") == 0 || strcmp(de->d_name, "..") == 0) continue;
 
-      snprintf(data->import->filename, SMALLBUFSIZE-1, "%s/%s", data->import->directory, de->d_name);
+      snprintf(data->import->filename, SMALLBUFSIZE-1, "%s/%s", directory, de->d_name);
 
       if(stat(data->import->filename, &st) == 0){
          if(S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)){
             folder = data->folder;
-            data->import->directory = data->import->filename;
-            rc = import_from_maildir(sdata, data, cfg);
+            snprintf(subdir, sizeof(subdir)-1, "%s/%s", directory, data->import->filename);
+            rc = import_from_maildir(sdata, data, subdir, cfg);
             data->folder = folder;
             if(rc == ERR) ret = ERR;
          }
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ int import_from_maildir(struct session_data *sdata, struct data *data, struct co
 
             if(S_ISREG(st.st_mode)){
                if(i == 0 && data->recursive_folder_names == 1){
-                  p = strrchr(data->import->directory, '/');
+                  p = strrchr(directory, '/');
                   if(p) p++;
                   else {
-                     printf("ERROR: invalid directory name: '%s'\n", data->import->directory);
+                     printf("ERROR: invalid directory name: '%s'\n", directory);
                      return ERR;
                   }
 
diff --git a/src/pilerimport.c b/src/pilerimport.c
index 19d855f5..b648c366 100644
--- a/src/pilerimport.c
+++ b/src/pilerimport.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void usage(){
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv){
    int i, c, n_mbox=0;
-   char *configfile=CONFIG_FILE, *mbox[MBOX_ARGS];
+   char *configfile=CONFIG_FILE, *mbox[MBOX_ARGS], *directory=NULL;
    char *imapserver=NULL, *pop3server=NULL;
    struct session_data sdata;
    struct config cfg;
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv){
    import.skiplist = SKIPLIST;
    import.folder_imap = NULL;
    memset(import.filename, 0, SMALLBUFSIZE);
-   import.directory = NULL;
    import.mboxdir = NULL;
    import.tot_msgs = 0;
    import.folder = NULL;
@@ -164,7 +163,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv){
                     break;
 
          case 'd' :
-                    data.import->directory = optarg;
+                    directory = optarg;
                     break;
 
          case 'm' :
@@ -277,7 +276,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv){
    }
 
 
-   if(!mbox[0] && !data.import->mboxdir && !data.import->filename && !data.import->directory && !imapserver && !pop3server) usage();
+   if(!mbox[0] && !data.import->mboxdir && !data.import->filename && !directory && !imapserver && !pop3server) usage();
 
    if(data.import->failed_folder && !can_i_write_directory(data.import->failed_folder)){
       printf("cannot write failed directory '%s'\n", data.import->failed_folder);
@@ -344,7 +343,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv){
       }
    }
    if(data.import->mboxdir) import_mbox_from_dir(data.import->mboxdir, &sdata, &data, &cfg);
-   if(data.import->directory) import_from_maildir(&sdata, &data, &cfg);
+   if(directory) import_from_maildir(&sdata, &data, directory, &cfg);
    if(imapserver) import_from_imap_server(&sdata, &data, &cfg);
    if(pop3server) import_from_pop3_server(&sdata, &data, &cfg);