diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
index 9e2271b7301..b0d21f8b400 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
@@ -346,10 +346,7 @@ def _transfer(  # noqa: max-complexity=16
                         if len(file_transfers) > 0:
                             f, filetransfer = file_transfers.pop()
                             future = executor.submit(
-                                self._start_file_transfer,
-                                f,
-                                filetransfer,
-                                overall_progress_update,
+                                self._start_file_transfer, f, filetransfer
                             )
                             future_file_transfers[future] = (f, filetransfer)
 
@@ -358,7 +355,8 @@ def _transfer(  # noqa: max-complexity=16
                     ):
                         f, filetransfer = future_file_transfers[future]
                         try:
-                            status = future.result()
+                            status, data_transferred = future.result()
+                            overall_progress_update(data_transferred)
                             if self.is_cancelled():
                                 break
 
@@ -424,24 +422,25 @@ def _transfer(  # noqa: max-complexity=16
             if self.is_cancelled():
                 self.cancel()
 
-    def _start_file_transfer(self, f, filetransfer, overall_progress_update):
+    def _start_file_transfer(self, f, filetransfer):
         """
         Start to transfer the file from network/disk to the destination.
         Return value:
             * FILE_TRANSFERRED - successfully transfer the file.
             * FILE_SKIPPED - the file does not exist so it is skipped.
         """
+        data_transferred = 0
+
         with filetransfer:
             for chunk in filetransfer:
-                length = len(chunk)
-                overall_progress_update(length)
+                data_transferred += len(chunk)
 
             # Ensure that if for some reason the total file size for the transfer
             # is less than what we have marked in the database that we make up
             # the difference so that the overall progress is never incorrect.
             # This could happen, for example for a local transfer if a file
             # has been replaced or corrupted (which we catch below)
-            overall_progress_update(f.file_size - filetransfer.total_size)
+            data_transferred += f.file_size - filetransfer.total_size
 
             # If checksum of the destination file is different from the localfile
             # id indicated in the database, it means that the destination file
@@ -452,9 +451,9 @@ def _start_file_transfer(self, f, filetransfer, overall_progress_update):
                 e = "File {} is corrupted.".format(filetransfer.source)
                 logger.error("An error occurred during content import: {}".format(e))
                 os.remove(filetransfer.dest)
-                return FILE_SKIPPED
+                return FILE_SKIPPED, data_transferred
 
-        return FILE_TRANSFERRED
+        return FILE_TRANSFERRED, data_transferred
 
     def handle_async(self, *args, **options):
         if options["command"] == "network":
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_import_export.py b/kolibri/core/content/test/test_import_export.py
index b4e45d67015..81c607b9f09 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_import_export.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/test/test_import_export.py
@@ -761,7 +761,6 @@ def test_local_import_source_corrupted_full_progress(
         local_src_path = tempfile.mkstemp()[1]
         with open(local_src_path, "w") as f:
             f.write("This is just a test")
-        src_file_size = os.path.getsize(local_src_path)
         expected_file_size = 10000
         local_dest_path = tempfile.mkstemp()[1]
         os.remove(local_dest_path)
@@ -798,7 +797,7 @@ def test_local_import_source_corrupted_full_progress(
                 node_ids=["32a941fb77c2576e8f6b294cde4c3b0c"],
             )
 
-            mock_overall_progress.assert_any_call(expected_file_size - src_file_size)
+            mock_overall_progress.assert_any_call(expected_file_size)
 
     @patch(
         "kolibri.core.content.management.commands.importcontent.transfer.FileDownload.finalize"