diff --git a/docs/guide/cli-reference.md b/docs/guide/cli-reference.md
index 3aa36d0f..a0840edd 100644
--- a/docs/guide/cli-reference.md
+++ b/docs/guide/cli-reference.md
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ order the service used, then renumbers the episodes into the order you asked for
 | `--cdm-only` / `--vaults-only` | Use only the CDM, or only Key Vaults, for key acquisition. |
 | `--cdm <name>` | Use the named CDM device from the `cdm` config mapping for this run, ignoring the service/default mapping. |
 | `--skip-dl` | Skip the download but still retrieve keys. |
-| `--export` | Export track info and keys to a JSON file in the exports directory. |
+| `--export` | Export track info and keys to a `mediaexport` JSON file in the exports directory. |
 
 ### Network & proxy
 
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ unshackle forwards any `dl` options after the file verbatim, so you can override
     unshackle import export.json -r HDR10 --proxy US
     ```
 
-The export file must be a valid v2 export from a current version of unshackle, made with `dl --export`, and must contain a `service` tag.
+The export file can be a `mediaexport` file from `dl --export`, an export from an older version of unshackle, or an export from unidl. The file must name the service it came from.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/tests/core/test_import_command.py b/tests/core/test_import_command.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..480e11a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test_import_command.py
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+"""Tests for the ``unshackle import`` command: it reads every export format and forwards to ``dl``."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+from click.testing import CliRunner
+
+from unshackle.commands.dl import dl
+
+KID = "00000000000000000000000000000001"
+KEY = "aa" * 16
+
+import_cli = importlib.import_module("unshackle.commands.import").ImportCommand.cli
+
+MEDIAEXPORT = {
+    "kind": "mediaexport",
+    "version": 1,
+    "service": {"tag": "EXAMPLE", "name": "Example"},
+    "titles": [
+        {
+            "id": "movie-1",
+            "kind": "movie",
+            "title": "Example Movie",
+            "manifests": [{"url": "https://example.test/m.mpd", "type": "dash", "role": "primary"}],
+            "keys": {KID: KEY},
+        }
+    ],
+}
+
+UNSHACKLE_V2 = {
+    "version": 2,
+    "service": "EXAMPLE",
+    "titles": {
+        "movie-1": {
+            "meta": {"type": "movie", "name": "Example Movie"},
+            "manifest_url": "https://example.test/m.mpd",
+            "manifest_type": "DASH",
+            "tracks": {"v1": {"id": "v1", "url": "https://example.test/m.mpd", "keys": {KID: KEY}}},
+        }
+    },
+}
+
+UNIDL_V1 = {
+    "kind": "unidl-export",
+    "version": 1,
+    "service": "EXAMPLE",
+    "titles": [
+        {
+            "title": {"id": "movie-1", "kind": "movie", "name": "Example Movie"},
+            "manifest_url": "https://example.test/m.mpd",
+            "keys": [f"{KID}:{KEY}"],
+        }
+    ],
+}
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def forwarded(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> list[list[str]]:
+    """The argument lists the import command sends to ``dl``."""
+    calls: list[list[str]] = []
+
+    def fake_main(*, args: list[str], **_: Any) -> None:
+        calls.append(list(args))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dl.cli, "main", fake_main)
+    return calls
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("raw", [MEDIAEXPORT, UNSHACKLE_V2, UNIDL_V1], ids=["mediaexport", "unshackle-v2", "unidl-v1"])
+def test_import_forwards_service_tag(tmp_path: Path, forwarded: list[list[str]], raw: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    export = tmp_path / "export.json"
+    export.write_text(json.dumps(raw), encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(import_cli, [str(export), "-r", "HDR10"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert forwarded == [["-r", "HDR10", "--import", str(export), "EXAMPLE"]]
+
+
+def test_import_rejects_a_file_that_is_not_an_export(tmp_path: Path, forwarded: list[list[str]]) -> None:
+    export = tmp_path / "export.json"
+    export.write_text(json.dumps({"hello": "world"}), encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(import_cli, [str(export)])
+
+    assert result.exit_code != 0
+    assert "is not a usable export file" in result.output
+    assert forwarded == []
diff --git a/unshackle/commands/import.py b/unshackle/commands/import.py
index ec803bcc..3aa69653 100644
--- a/unshackle/commands/import.py
+++ b/unshackle/commands/import.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import json
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any
 
 import click
+import mediaexport
 
 from unshackle.commands.dl import dl
 from unshackle.core.constants import context_settings
@@ -33,19 +32,13 @@ class ImportCommand:
             raise click.ClickException(f"Export file not found: {export_file}")
 
         try:
-            data: dict[str, Any] = json.loads(export_file.read_text(encoding="utf8"))
-        except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
-            raise click.ClickException(f"Export file is not valid JSON: {e}")
+            doc = mediaexport.read(export_file)
+        except mediaexport.ExportError as e:
+            raise click.ClickException(f"{export_file} is not a usable export file: {e}")
 
-        if data.get("version") != 2:
-            raise click.ClickException(
-                f"Unsupported export version {data.get('version')!r}. "
-                "Re-create the export with a current build of unshackle."
-            )
-
-        service_tag = data.get("service")
+        service_tag = doc.service_tag
         if not service_tag:
-            raise click.ClickException("Export file is missing the 'service' tag.")
+            raise click.ClickException("Export file does not name the service it came from.")
 
         args = [*dl_args, "--import", str(export_file), service_tag]
         dl.cli.main(args=args, prog_name="unshackle dl", standalone_mode=False)