diff --git a/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts b/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
index 592311509a..b94cdfdda1 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ import { setSentryWpcomUserIdMain } from 'src/lib/main-sentry-utils';
 import * as oauthClient from 'src/lib/oauth';
 import { getAiInstructionsPath } from 'src/lib/server-files-paths';
 import { shellOpenExternalWrapper } from 'src/lib/shell-open-external-wrapper';
-import { keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated } from 'src/lib/sqlite-versions';
+import { installSqliteIntegration, keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated } from 'src/lib/sqlite-versions';
 import * as windowsHelpers from 'src/lib/windows-helpers';
 import { setupWordPressFilesOnly } from 'src/lib/wordpress-setup';
 import { getLogsFilePath, writeLogToFile, type LogLevel } from 'src/logging';
@@ -364,6 +364,10 @@ export async function importSite(
 			await setupWordPressFilesOnly( site.details.path );
 		}
 
+		if ( ! ( await site.hasSQLitePlugin() ) ) {
+			await installSqliteIntegration( site.details.path );
+		}
+
 		const onEvent = ( data: ImportExportEventData ) => {
 			const parentWindow = BrowserWindow.fromWebContents( event.sender );
 			sendIpcEventToRendererWithWindow( parentWindow, 'on-import', data, id );
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/lib/sqlite-versions.ts b/apps/studio/src/lib/sqlite-versions.ts
index b108ac2180..40c30a46f8 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/lib/sqlite-versions.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/lib/sqlite-versions.ts
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ export const getSqliteVersionFromInstallation = ( sqliteMuPluginPath: string ) =
 
 export const keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated = ( sitePath: string ) =>
 	provider.keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated( sitePath );
+
+export const installSqliteIntegration = ( sitePath: string ) =>
+	provider.installSqliteIntegration( sitePath );
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/stores/sync/sync-operations-slice.ts b/apps/studio/src/stores/sync/sync-operations-slice.ts
index c1f0472e4b..d9a7642977 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/stores/sync/sync-operations-slice.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/stores/sync/sync-operations-slice.ts
@@ -806,14 +806,17 @@ const pollPullBackupThunk = createTypedAsyncThunk(
 				);
 
 				await getIpcApi().stopServer( selectedSiteId );
-				await getIpcApi().importSite( {
-					id: selectedSiteId,
-					backupFile: {
-						path: filePath,
-						type: 'application/tar+gzip',
-					},
-				} );
-				await getIpcApi().startServer( selectedSiteId );
+				try {
+					await getIpcApi().importSite( {
+						id: selectedSiteId,
+						backupFile: {
+							path: filePath,
+							type: 'application/tar+gzip',
+						},
+					} );
+				} finally {
+					await getIpcApi().startServer( selectedSiteId );
+				}
 
 				await getIpcApi().removeSyncBackup( remoteSiteId );
 
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/tests/ipc-handlers.test.ts b/apps/studio/src/tests/ipc-handlers.test.ts
index d32cf757f7..e63ea31796 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/tests/ipc-handlers.test.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/tests/ipc-handlers.test.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ vi.mock( 'src/lib/wordpress-setup', () => ( {
 } ) );
 vi.mock( 'src/main-window' );
 vi.mock( 'src/lib/import-export/import/import-manager' );
+vi.mock( 'src/lib/sqlite-versions', () => ( {
+	keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue( false ),
+	installSqliteIntegration: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue( undefined ),
+} ) );
 vi.mock( import( 'src/lib/bump-stats' ), async ( importOriginal ) => {
 	const actual = await importOriginal();
 	return {
@@ -195,6 +199,7 @@ describe( 'importSite', () => {
 			start: vi.fn(),
 			stop: vi.fn(),
 			updateSiteDetails: vi.fn(),
+			hasSQLitePlugin: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue( true ),
 			executeWpCliCommand: vi
 				.fn()
 				.mockResolvedValue( { stdout: 'New Site Title', stderr: '', exitCode: 0 } ),
@@ -244,6 +249,7 @@ describe( 'importSite', () => {
 			start: vi.fn(),
 			stop: vi.fn(),
 			updateSiteDetails: vi.fn(),
+			hasSQLitePlugin: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue( true ),
 			executeWpCliCommand: vi
 				.fn()
 				.mockResolvedValue( { stdout: 'New Site Title', stderr: '', exitCode: 0 } ),