diff --git a/packages/xo-server/src/xapi/index.js b/packages/xo-server/src/xapi/index.js
index 1f9b54260..e7709eb25 100644
--- a/packages/xo-server/src/xapi/index.js
+++ b/packages/xo-server/src/xapi/index.js
@@ -919,6 +919,7 @@ export default class Xapi extends XapiBase {
     delta: DeltaVmExport,
     {
       deleteBase = false,
+      detectBase = true,
       disableStartAfterImport = true,
       mapVdisSrs = {},
       name_label = delta.vm.name_label,
@@ -931,17 +932,19 @@ export default class Xapi extends XapiBase {
       throw new Error(`Unsupported delta backup version: ${version}`)
     }
 
-    const remoteBaseVmUuid = delta.vm.other_config[TAG_BASE_DELTA]
     let baseVm
-    if (remoteBaseVmUuid) {
-      baseVm = find(
-        this.objects.all,
-        obj =>
-          (obj = obj.other_config) && obj[TAG_COPY_SRC] === remoteBaseVmUuid
-      )
+    if (detectBase) {
+      const remoteBaseVmUuid = delta.vm.other_config[TAG_BASE_DELTA]
+      if (remoteBaseVmUuid) {
+        baseVm = find(
+          this.objects.all,
+          obj =>
+            (obj = obj.other_config) && obj[TAG_COPY_SRC] === remoteBaseVmUuid
+        )
 
-      if (!baseVm) {
-        throw new Error('could not find the base VM')
+        if (!baseVm) {
+          throw new Error('could not find the base VM')
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/xo-server/src/xo-mixins/backups-ng/index.js b/packages/xo-server/src/xo-mixins/backups-ng/index.js
index cd469082c..9f006a702 100644
--- a/packages/xo-server/src/xo-mixins/backups-ng/index.js
+++ b/packages/xo-server/src/xo-mixins/backups-ng/index.js
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ const importers: $Dict<
     }
 
     const { vm: newVm } = await xapi.importDeltaVm(delta, {
+      detectBase: false,
       disableStartAfterImport: false,
       srId: sr,
       // TODO: support mapVdisSrs