diff --git a/app/models/story_parser.rb b/app/models/story_parser.rb
index c36ac0b1e92..d5d30803410 100644
--- a/app/models/story_parser.rb
+++ b/app/models/story_parser.rb
@@ -248,10 +248,9 @@ def download_and_parse_chaptered_story(source, location, options = {})
     end
 
 
-    #Updated as elz suggested now getting www and non www, Stephanie 1-11-2014
+    # our custom url finder checks for previously imported URL in almost any format it may have been presented
     def check_for_previous_import(location)
-      urls = [location, location.gsub('www.', '')].uniq
-      if Work.where(imported_from_url: urls).exists?
+      if Work.find_by_url(location).present?
         raise Error, "A work has already been imported from #{location}."
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/story_parser_spec.rb b/spec/models/story_parser_spec.rb
index 0085ec30d63..4213f03f15e 100644
--- a/spec/models/story_parser_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/story_parser_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe StoryParser do
-  
+
   before(:each) do
     @sp = StoryParser.new
   end
@@ -94,10 +94,27 @@
       #   @sp.get_source_if_known(StoryParser::KNOWN_STORY_LOCATIONS, url).should eq("lj")
       # end
     end
-    
+
     # TODO: KNOWN_STORY_PARSERS
   end
-  
+
+  describe "check_for_previous_import" do
+    let(:location_with_www) { "http://www.testme.org/welcome_to_test_vale.html" }
+    let(:location_no_www)   { "http://testme.org/welcome_to_test_vale.html" }
+
+    it "should recognise previously imported www. works" do
+      @work = FactoryGirl.create(:work, imported_from_url: location_with_www)
+
+      expect { @sp.check_for_previous_import(location_no_www) }.to raise_exception
+    end
+
+    it "should recognise previously imported non-www. works" do
+      @work = FactoryGirl.create(:work, imported_from_url: location_no_www)
+
+      expect { @sp.check_for_previous_import(location_with_www) }.to raise_exception
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#parse_common" do
     it "should convert relative to absolute links" do
       # This one doesn't work because the sanitizer is converting the & to &
@@ -119,5 +136,4 @@
       end
     end
   end
-    
 end