diff --git a/spec/System/TestImportReimport_spec.lua b/spec/System/TestImportReimport_spec.lua
index 9ae82d037c0..dbb2ab004f1 100644
--- a/spec/System/TestImportReimport_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/System/TestImportReimport_spec.lua
@@ -253,4 +253,26 @@ Blight 20/0  1
 		table.insert(build.itemsTab.itemSetOrderList, itemSet.id)
 		assertReimportPreservesSkillSubstate("Weapon 1", "Driftwood Wand", "Weapon", "Animate Weapon", "skillMinionItemSet", itemSet.id)
 	end)
+
+	it("keeps one socket group per unlinked socket holding the same gem when reimporting without deleting skills", function()
+		-- One matching group, as left by an import that merged the unlinked sockets
+		build.skillsTab:PasteSocketGroup([[
+Slot: Weapon 1
+Raise Spectre 20/0  1
+]])
+		runCallback("OnFrame")
+
+		local wand = makeImportItem("Driftwood Wand", "Weapon", {
+			makeSocketedGemEntry(0, false, "Raise Spectre", 20),
+			makeSocketedGemEntry(1, false, "Raise Spectre", 20),
+			makeSocketedGemEntry(2, false, "Raise Spectre", 20),
+		})
+		for index, socket in ipairs(wand.sockets) do
+			socket.group = index - 1
+		end
+		build.importTab:ImportItemsAndSkills(buildImportPayload({ wand }), false, false, true)
+		runCallback("OnFrame")
+
+		assert.are.equal(3, #build.skillsTab.socketGroupList)
+	end)
 end)
diff --git a/src/Classes/ImportTab.lua b/src/Classes/ImportTab.lua
index a44f91bc0aa..2ff7ddd4138 100644
--- a/src/Classes/ImportTab.lua
+++ b/src/Classes/ImportTab.lua
@@ -1865,11 +1865,13 @@ function ImportTabClass:ImportSocketedItems(item, socketedItems, slotName)
 	end
 
 	-- Import the socket groups
+	-- A socket group matched or added for this item is not matched again, so unlinked sockets holding the same gems stay separate groups
+	local claimedGroups = { }
 	for _, itemSocketGroup in pairs(itemSocketGroupList) do
 		-- Check if this socket group matches an existing one
 		local repGroup
 		for index, socketGroup in pairs(self.build.skillsTab.socketGroupList) do
-			if #socketGroup.gemList == #itemSocketGroup.gemList and (not socketGroup.slot or socketGroup.slot == slotName) then
+			if not claimedGroups[socketGroup] and #socketGroup.gemList == #itemSocketGroup.gemList and (not socketGroup.slot or socketGroup.slot == slotName) then
 				local match = true
 				for gemIndex, gem in pairs(socketGroup.gemList) do
 					if gem.nameSpec:lower() ~= itemSocketGroup.gemList[gemIndex].nameSpec:lower() then
@@ -1893,6 +1895,7 @@ function ImportTabClass:ImportSocketedItems(item, socketedItems, slotName)
 		else
 			t_insert(self.build.skillsTab.socketGroupList, itemSocketGroup)
 		end
+		claimedGroups[repGroup or itemSocketGroup] = true
 		self.build.skillsTab:ProcessSocketGroup(itemSocketGroup)
 	end
 end