diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs b/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
index 320f108886..e8b6996869 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
                 model = CreateModel(archive);
 
                 if (model == null)
-                    return Task.FromResult<ILive<TModel>>(new EntityFrameworkLive<TModel>(null));
+                    return Task.FromResult<ILive<TModel>>(null);
             }
             catch (TaskCanceledException)
             {
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/IModelImporter.cs b/osu.Game/Database/IModelImporter.cs
index 5d0a044578..d00cfb2035 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/IModelImporter.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/IModelImporter.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using osu.Game.IO.Archives;
 using osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications;
 
+#nullable enable
+
 namespace osu.Game.Database
 {
     /// <summary>
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="lowPriority">Whether this is a low priority import.</param>
         /// <param name="cancellationToken">An optional cancellation token.</param>
         /// <returns>The imported model, if successful.</returns>
-        Task<ILive<TModel>> Import(ImportTask task, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+        Task<ILive<TModel>?> Import(ImportTask task, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Silently import an item from an <see cref="ArchiveReader"/>.
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="archive">The archive to be imported.</param>
         /// <param name="lowPriority">Whether this is a low priority import.</param>
         /// <param name="cancellationToken">An optional cancellation token.</param>
-        Task<ILive<TModel>> Import(ArchiveReader archive, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+        Task<ILive<TModel>?> Import(ArchiveReader archive, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Silently import an item from a <typeparamref name="TModel"/>.
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="archive">An optional archive to use for model population.</param>
         /// <param name="lowPriority">Whether this is a low priority import.</param>
         /// <param name="cancellationToken">An optional cancellation token.</param>
-        Task<ILive<TModel>> Import(TModel item, ArchiveReader archive = null, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+        Task<ILive<TModel>?> Import(TModel item, ArchiveReader? archive = null, bool lowPriority = false, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// A user displayable name for the model type associated with this manager.