diff --git a/lib/metadataTypes/ImportFile.js b/lib/metadataTypes/ImportFile.js
index ee341403a..26efb0f3c 100644
--- a/lib/metadataTypes/ImportFile.js
+++ b/lib/metadataTypes/ImportFile.js
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ class ImportFile extends MetadataType {
      * @returns {Promise.<TYPE.MetadataTypeItemObj>} Promise
      */
     static async retrieveAsTemplate(templateDir, name, templateVariables) {
-        const res = await this.client.rest.get(
-            '/automation/v1/imports/?$filter=name%20eq%20' + encodeURIComponent(name)
-        );
-        if (Array.isArray(res?.items) && res?.items.length) {
+        // using '?$filter=name%20eq%20' + encodeURIComponent(name) would also work but that just retrieves more data for no reason
+        const cache = await this.retrieveForCache(null, null, 'name:' + name);
+        const metadataArr = Object.values(cache?.metadata);
+        if (Array.isArray(metadataArr) && metadataArr.length) {
             // eq-operator returns a similar, not exact match and hence might return more than 1 entry
-            const metadata = res.items.find((item) => item.name === name);
+            const metadata = metadataArr.find((item) => item.name === name);
             if (!metadata) {
                 Util.logger.error(`No ${this.definition.typeName} found with name "${name}"`);
                 return;
@@ -93,13 +93,13 @@ class ImportFile extends MetadataType {
             );
             Util.logger.info(`- templated ${this.definition.type}: ${name}`);
             return { metadata: val, type: this.definition.type };
-        } else if (res?.items) {
+        } else if (metadataArr) {
             Util.logger.error(`No ${this.definition.typeName} found with name "${name}"`);
         } else {
             throw new Error(
                 `Encountered unknown error when retrieveing ${
                     this.definition.typeName
-                } "${name}": ${JSON.stringify(res)}`
+                } "${name}": ${JSON.stringify(metadataArr)}`
             );
         }
     }
@@ -112,11 +112,17 @@ class ImportFile extends MetadataType {
      */
     static async _getObjectIdForSingleRetrieve(key) {
         const response = await this.client.soap.retrieve('ImportDefinition', ['ObjectID'], {
-            filter: {
-                leftOperand: 'CustomerKey',
-                operator: 'equals',
-                rightOperand: key,
-            },
+            filter: key.startsWith('name:')
+                ? {
+                      leftOperand: 'Name',
+                      operator: 'equals',
+                      rightOperand: key.slice(5),
+                  }
+                : {
+                      leftOperand: 'CustomerKey',
+                      operator: 'equals',
+                      rightOperand: key,
+                  },
         });
         return response?.Results?.length ? response.Results[0].ObjectID : null;
     }
diff --git a/lib/metadataTypes/definitions/ImportFile.definition.js b/lib/metadataTypes/definitions/ImportFile.definition.js
index 32fc1269b..0b3aa28a3 100644
--- a/lib/metadataTypes/definitions/ImportFile.definition.js
+++ b/lib/metadataTypes/definitions/ImportFile.definition.js
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ export default {
             template: true,
         },
         encodingName: {
+            // only visible if retrieved with ID
             isCreateable: true,
             isUpdateable: true,
             retrieving: true,