diff --git a/server/channels/app/import_test.go b/server/channels/app/import_test.go
index e7ee9e09fbe..6f2adb9d070 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/import_test.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/import_test.go
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ func TestImportBulkImportWithAttachments(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var jsonFile io.ReadCloser
 	for _, f := range importZipReader.File {
-		if filepath.Ext(f.Name) != ".jsonl" {
+		if !imports.IsRootJsonlFile(f.Name) {
 			continue
 		}
 
diff --git a/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators.go b/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators.go
index fac52335d63..7aee8378943 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators.go
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/public/shared/mlog"
 )
 
+// IsRootJsonlFile reports whether the given zip entry name refers to a .jsonl
+// file at the root of the archive (no directory component). This is used to
+// locate the import manifest while ignoring .jsonl files that may exist as
+// exported attachments in subdirectories.
+func IsRootJsonlFile(name string) bool {
+	return filepath.Ext(name) == ".jsonl" && filepath.Dir(name) == "."
+}
+
 func ValidateSchemeImportData(data *SchemeImportData) *model.AppError {
 	if data.Scope == nil {
 		return model.NewAppError("BulkImport", "app.import.validate_scheme_import_data.null_scope.error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
diff --git a/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators_test.go b/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators_test.go
index a046d0db4a5..09ce78b906c 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators_test.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/imports/import_validators_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8/channels/utils/fileutils"
 )
 
+func TestIsRootJsonlFile(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.True(t, IsRootJsonlFile("import.jsonl"))
+	assert.True(t, IsRootJsonlFile("export.jsonl"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("data/export.jsonl"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("data/attachments/report.jsonl"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("data/deep/nested/file.jsonl"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("import.json"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("import.zip"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile("data/photo.jpg"))
+	assert.False(t, IsRootJsonlFile(""))
+}
+
 func TestImportValidateSchemeImportData(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test with minimum required valid properties and team scope.
 	data := SchemeImportData{
diff --git a/server/channels/jobs/import_process/worker.go b/server/channels/jobs/import_process/worker.go
index 1202f783dda..f9e974b8405 100644
--- a/server/channels/jobs/import_process/worker.go
+++ b/server/channels/jobs/import_process/worker.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/public/shared/configservice"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/public/shared/mlog"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/public/shared/request"
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8/channels/app/imports"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8/channels/jobs"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8/platform/shared/filestore"
 )
@@ -100,29 +101,28 @@ func MakeWorker(jobServer *jobs.JobServer, app AppIface) *jobs.SimpleWorker {
 		}
 
 		// find JSONL import file.
-		var jsonFile io.ReadCloser
+		var jsonZipFile *zip.File
 		for _, f := range importZipReader.File {
-			if filepath.Ext(f.Name) != ".jsonl" {
-				continue
+			if imports.IsRootJsonlFile(f.Name) {
+				jsonZipFile = f
+				break
 			}
-			// avoid "zip slip"
-			if strings.Contains(f.Name, "..") {
-				return model.NewAppError("ImportProcessWorker", "import_process.worker.do_job.open_file", nil, "jsonFilePath contains path traversal", http.StatusForbidden)
-			}
-
-			jsonFile, err = f.Open()
-			if err != nil {
-				return model.NewAppError("ImportProcessWorker", "import_process.worker.do_job.open_file", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(err)
-			}
-
-			defer jsonFile.Close()
-			break
 		}
-
-		if jsonFile == nil {
+		if jsonZipFile == nil {
 			return model.NewAppError("ImportProcessWorker", "import_process.worker.do_job.missing_jsonl", nil, "jsonFile was nil", http.StatusBadRequest)
 		}
 
+		// avoid "zip slip"
+		if strings.Contains(jsonZipFile.Name, "..") {
+			return model.NewAppError("ImportProcessWorker", "import_process.worker.do_job.open_file", nil, "jsonFilePath contains path traversal", http.StatusForbidden)
+		}
+
+		jsonFile, err := jsonZipFile.Open()
+		if err != nil {
+			return model.NewAppError("ImportProcessWorker", "import_process.worker.do_job.open_file", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(err)
+		}
+		defer jsonFile.Close()
+
 		extractContent := job.Data["extract_content"] == "true"
 		// do the actual import.
 		lineNumber, appErr := app.BulkImportWithPath(appContext, jsonFile, importZipReader, false, extractContent, runtime.NumCPU(), model.ExportDataDir)
diff --git a/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/importer/validate.go b/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/importer/validate.go
index e8192b70974..64d1b85f9fa 100644
--- a/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/importer/validate.go
+++ b/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/importer/validate.go
@@ -248,12 +248,10 @@ func (v *Validator) Validate() error {
 
 	var jsonlZip *zip.File
 	for _, zfile := range z.File {
-		if filepath.Ext(zfile.Name) != ".jsonl" {
-			continue
+		if imports.IsRootJsonlFile(zfile.Name) {
+			jsonlZip = zfile
+			break
 		}
-
-		jsonlZip = zfile
-		break
 	}
 	if jsonlZip == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not find a .jsonl file in the import archive")