diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row.vue b/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row.vue
index ab166b8fba197d5b303e050ad427563d4116c088..447bed7f9d0300403f8354c91c1f99b7ff349d58 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row.vue
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row.vue
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ export default {
     return {
       isSelectedForReimport: false,
       showMembershipsModal: false,
+      userHasSelectedNamespace: false,
+      showNamespaceRequiredError: false,
     };
   },
 
@@ -72,8 +74,13 @@ export default {
     },
 
     showMembershipsWarning() {
-      const userNamespaceSelected = this.importTarget.targetNamespace === this.userNamespace;
-      return (this.isImportNotStarted || this.isSelectedForReimport) && userNamespaceSelected;
+      const usersNamespaceIsSelected = this.importTarget.targetNamespace === this.userNamespace;
+
+      return this.isNotImporting && usersNamespaceIsSelected;
+    },
+
+    isNotImporting() {
+      return this.isImportNotStarted || this.isSelectedForReimport;
     },
 
     isFinished() {
@@ -128,6 +135,15 @@ export default {
         this.updateImportTarget({ newName: value });
       },
     },
+    shouldBlockImportForNamespace() {
+      if (this.importTarget.targetNamespace) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      return (
+        !this.repo.importSource.target && this.isNotImporting && !this.userHasSelectedNamespace
+      );
+    },
   },
 
   methods: {
@@ -156,7 +172,9 @@ export default {
     },
 
     onImportClick() {
-      if (this.showMembershipsWarning) {
+      if (this.shouldBlockImportForNamespace) {
+        this.showNamespaceRequiredError = true;
+      } else if (this.showMembershipsWarning) {
         this.showMembershipsModal = true;
       } else {
         this.handleImportRepo();
@@ -164,6 +182,8 @@ export default {
     },
 
     onSelect(value) {
+      this.userHasSelectedNamespace = true;
+      this.showNamespaceRequiredError = false;
       this.updateImportTarget({ targetNamespace: value });
     },
   },
@@ -209,6 +229,7 @@ export default {
           <div class="gl-flex gl-w-full gl-items-stretch">
             <import-target-dropdown
               :selected="importTarget.targetNamespace"
+              :toggle-text="s__('ImportProjects|Select namespace')"
               :user-namespace="userNamespace"
               @select="onSelect"
             />
@@ -224,6 +245,14 @@ export default {
               data-testid="project-path-field"
             />
           </div>
+          <p
+            v-if="showNamespaceRequiredError"
+            class="gl-m-0 gl-mt-2 gl-text-danger"
+            role="alert"
+            data-testid="namespace-required-warning"
+          >
+            {{ s__('ImportProjects|Select a destination namespace.') }}
+          </p>
         </template>
         <template v-else-if="repo.importedProject">{{ displayFullPath }}</template>
       </div>
@@ -264,9 +293,11 @@ export default {
       <gl-modal
         v-if="showMembershipsWarning"
         v-model="showMembershipsModal"
+        modal-id="show-memberships-modal"
         :title="
           s__('ImportProjects|Are you sure you want to import the project to a personal namespace?')
         "
+        data-testid="memberships-warning-modal"
         :action-primary="$options.actionPrimary"
         :action-cancel="$options.actionCancel"
         @primary="handleImportRepo"
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters.js b/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters.js
index 31ddffd4eb4cb3fa0b150f3d721adf3176567eca..f2d8740bffd4a2283a8ee63c112c779651f3faf9 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters.js
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ export const getImportTarget = (state) => (repoId) => {
 
   return {
     newName: repo.importSource.sanitizedName,
-    targetNamespace: state.defaultTargetNamespace,
+    targetNamespace: null,
   };
 };
diff --git a/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml b/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
index ad68a0587f2fb24ce1dd30ed2292a09427396f5b..b6d4dc6b9c915ba6f5236e34bf74181b7289e611 100644
--- a/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 - extra_data = local_assigns.fetch(:extra_data, {})
 - filterable = local_assigns.fetch(:filterable, true)
 - paginatable = local_assigns.fetch(:paginatable, false)
-- default_namespace_path = (local_assigns[:default_namespace] || current_user.namespace).full_path
+- default_namespace_path = local_assigns[:default_namespace]&.full_path
 - cancel_path = local_assigns.fetch(:cancel_path, nil)
 - details_path = local_assigns.fetch(:details_path, nil)
 - provider_title = Gitlab::ImportSources.title(local_assigns.fetch(:provider))
diff --git a/locale/gitlab.pot b/locale/gitlab.pot
index 6b7ec2c5c142b0938d5a3f81ed1f22b97fa6f6ad..9e1167be57a16edd83d8a3f66ca25a0975d45c3e 100644
--- a/locale/gitlab.pot
+++ b/locale/gitlab.pot
@@ -32005,6 +32005,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "ImportProjects|Requesting your %{provider} repositories failed"
 msgstr ""
 
+msgid "ImportProjects|Select a destination namespace."
+msgstr ""
+
+msgid "ImportProjects|Select namespace"
+msgstr ""
+
 msgid "ImportProjects|Select the repositories you want to import"
 msgstr ""
 
diff --git a/spec/features/import/manifest_import_spec.rb b/spec/features/import/manifest_import_spec.rb
index 175ae2fee8c00bc4087900364ba03de5a45d4b32..35c25966e878b3b5e7971432556843a3505ce50a 100644
--- a/spec/features/import/manifest_import_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/import/manifest_import_spec.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
     page.within(second_row) do
       click_on 'Import'
     end
-    click_on 'Continue import'
 
     wait_for_requests
 
diff --git a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row_spec.js b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row_spec.js
index a135570656693cba56402a8f7a9612e975e283b6..ffe3953a4052263a66afeba7ed19047a9c2d18f5 100644
--- a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row_spec.js
+++ b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/components/provider_repo_table_row_spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { GlBadge, GlButton, GlModal } from '@gitlab/ui';
+import { GlBadge, GlButton } from '@gitlab/ui';
 import Vue, { nextTick } from 'vue';
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-imports
 import Vuex from 'vuex';
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
   const cancelImport = jest.fn();
   const setImportTarget = jest.fn();
   const groupImportTarget = {
-    targetNamespace: 'target',
+    targetNamespace: null,
     newName: 'newName',
   };
 
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
   const findImportStatus = () => wrapper.findComponent(ImportStatus);
   const findProviderLink = () => wrapper.findByTestId('provider-link');
   const findMembershipsWarning = () => wrapper.findByTestId('memberships-warning');
-  const findGlModal = () => wrapper.findComponent(GlModal);
+  const findMembershipsWarningModal = () => wrapper.findByTestId('memberships-warning-modal');
+  const findNamespaceRequiredWarning = () => wrapper.findByTestId('namespace-required-warning');
 
   const findCancelButton = () => {
     const buttons = wrapper
@@ -97,12 +98,37 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
       expect(findImportTargetDropdown().exists()).toBe(true);
     });
 
+    it('renders the dropdown without a default selected', () => {
+      expect(findImportTargetDropdown().props('selected')).toBe(null);
+      expect(findImportTargetDropdown().props().toggleText).toBe('Select namespace');
+    });
+
+    describe('when no namespace is selected', () => {
+      it('shows namespace required warning when import button is clicked', async () => {
+        findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+        await nextTick();
+
+        expect(findNamespaceRequiredWarning().text()).toBe('Select a destination namespace.');
+      });
+
+      it('does not trigger import when clicking import button', async () => {
+        findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+        await nextTick();
+
+        expect(fetchImport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('when user namespace is selected as import target', () => {
-      beforeEach(() => {
+      beforeEach(async () => {
         mountComponent(
           { repo },
           { storeOptions: { importTarget: { targetNamespace: userNamespace } } },
         );
+
+        const dropdown = findImportTargetDropdown();
+        dropdown.vm.$emit('select', userNamespace);
+        await nextTick();
       });
 
       it('shows memberships warning', () => {
@@ -113,7 +139,7 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
         findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
         await nextTick();
 
-        const modal = findGlModal();
+        const modal = findMembershipsWarningModal();
         expect(modal.props('title')).toBe(
           'Are you sure you want to import the project to a personal namespace?',
         );
@@ -122,11 +148,15 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
         );
       });
 
+      it('does not show `missing namespace` warning', () => {
+        expect(findNamespaceRequiredWarning().exists()).toBe(false);
+      });
+
       it('triggers import when clicking modal primary button', async () => {
         findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
         await nextTick();
 
-        findGlModal().vm.$emit('primary');
+        findMembershipsWarningModal().vm.$emit('primary');
 
         expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
           repoId: repo.importSource.id,
@@ -136,53 +166,68 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
     });
 
     describe('when group namespace is selected as import target', () => {
+      beforeEach(async () => {
+        const dropdown = findImportTargetDropdown();
+        dropdown.vm.$emit('select', 'target');
+        await nextTick();
+      });
+
       it('does not show memberships warning', () => {
         expect(findMembershipsWarning().isVisible()).toBe(false);
       });
 
-      it('does not show modal when import button is clicked', async () => {
+      it('does not show memberships modal when import button is clicked', async () => {
         findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
         await nextTick();
 
-        expect(findGlModal().exists()).toBe(false);
+        expect(findMembershipsWarningModal().exists()).toBe(false);
       });
-    });
 
-    it('renders import button', () => {
-      expect(findImportButton().exists()).toBe(true);
-    });
+      it('does not show `missing namespace` warning when import button is clicked', async () => {
+        findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+        await nextTick();
+        expect(findNamespaceRequiredWarning().exists()).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('renders import button', () => {
+        expect(findImportButton().exists()).toBe(true);
+      });
 
-    it('imports repo when clicking import button', async () => {
-      findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+      it('imports repo when clicking import button', async () => {
+        findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
 
-      await nextTick();
+        await nextTick();
 
-      expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
-        repoId: repo.importSource.id,
-        optionalStages: {},
+        expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
+          repoId: repo.importSource.id,
+          optionalStages: {},
+        });
       });
-    });
 
-    it('includes optionalStages to import', async () => {
-      const OPTIONAL_STAGES = { stage1: true, stage2: false };
+      it('includes optionalStages to import', async () => {
+        const OPTIONAL_STAGES = { stage1: true, stage2: false };
 
-      mountComponent({
-        repo,
-        optionalStages: OPTIONAL_STAGES,
-      });
+        mountComponent({
+          repo,
+          optionalStages: OPTIONAL_STAGES,
+        });
 
-      findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+        const dropdown = findImportTargetDropdown();
+        dropdown.vm.$emit('select', 'target');
+        await nextTick();
 
-      await nextTick();
+        findImportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+        await nextTick();
 
-      expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
-        repoId: repo.importSource.id,
-        optionalStages: OPTIONAL_STAGES,
+        expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
+          repoId: repo.importSource.id,
+          optionalStages: OPTIONAL_STAGES,
+        });
       });
-    });
 
-    it('does not render re-import button', () => {
-      expect(findReimportButton().exists()).toBe(false);
+      it('does not render re-import button', () => {
+        expect(findReimportButton().exists()).toBe(false);
+      });
     });
   });
 
@@ -290,7 +335,12 @@ describe('ProviderRepoTableRow', () => {
 
       await nextTick();
 
+      findImportTargetDropdown().vm.$emit('select', 'some-namespace');
+      await nextTick();
+
       findReimportButton().vm.$emit('click');
+      await nextTick();
+      expect(findNamespaceRequiredWarning().exists()).toBe(false);
 
       expect(fetchImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), {
         repoId: repo.importSource.id,
diff --git a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/actions_spec.js b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/actions_spec.js
index 918821dfa59816e4658b8f59819d5f950ef4804e..aa57ae9f0413713e26c77e431f47324f5237a38c 100644
--- a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/actions_spec.js
+++ b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/actions_spec.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe('import_projects store actions', () => {
   let localState;
   const importRepoId = 1;
   const otherImportRepoId = 2;
-  const defaultTargetNamespace = 'default';
+  const defaultTargetNamespace = null;
   const sanitizedName = 'sanitizedName';
   const defaultImportTarget = { newName: sanitizedName, targetNamespace: defaultTargetNamespace };
 
diff --git a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters_spec.js b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters_spec.js
index fced5670f25b3edbc202242e53662efa998cbc8d..e25a6e099287ded186789b689a3a8805c3bd1c69 100644
--- a/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters_spec.js
+++ b/spec/frontend/import_entities/import_projects/store/getters_spec.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ describe('import_projects store getters', () => {
 
       expect(getImportTarget(localState)(IMPORTABLE_REPO.importSource.id)).toStrictEqual({
         newName: IMPORTABLE_REPO.importSource.sanitizedName,
-        targetNamespace: localState.defaultTargetNamespace,
+        targetNamespace: null,
       });
     });