diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/de.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/de.json
index 98f5190f..c515ccc9 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/de.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/de.json
@@ -2019,5 +2019,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Warten Sie, bis der Import abgeschlossen ist",
   "Show less": "Weniger anzeigen",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "Beenden, während Aufgaben laufen?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Kontaktabzug wird exportiert"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Kontaktabzug wird exportiert",
+  "Reading folder": "Ordner wird gelesen"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/es.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/es.json
index 5c6511ed..75bb1b6e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/es.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/es.json
@@ -1864,5 +1864,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Espera a que termine la importación",
   "Show less": "Mostrar menos",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "¿Salir con tareas en curso?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportando hoja de contactos"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportando hoja de contactos",
+  "Reading folder": "Leyendo carpeta"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/fr.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/fr.json
index 47882a57..8ae407b2 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/fr.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/fr.json
@@ -1864,5 +1864,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Attendez la fin de l'importation",
   "Show less": "Afficher moins",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "Quitter pendant que des tâches sont en cours ?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportation de la planche-contact"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportation de la planche-contact",
+  "Reading folder": "Lecture du dossier"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/ja.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/ja.json
index 4d9e7063..800383ec 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/ja.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/ja.json
@@ -1866,5 +1866,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "読み込みが終わるまでお待ちください",
   "Show less": "表示を減らす",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "タスクの実行中に終了しますか？",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "コンタクトシートを書き出し中"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "コンタクトシートを書き出し中",
+  "Reading folder": "フォルダーを読み込み中"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/pt-br.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/pt-br.json
index 84130682..3be7086e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/pt-br.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/pt-br.json
@@ -1864,5 +1864,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Aguarde a importação terminar",
   "Show less": "Mostrar menos",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "Sair com tarefas em andamento?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportando folha de contato"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Exportando folha de contato",
+  "Reading folder": "Lendo pasta"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/ru.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/ru.json
index 741515e7..40ea9150 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/ru.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/ru.json
@@ -1577,5 +1577,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Дождитесь окончания импорта",
   "Show less": "Свернуть",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "Выйти, пока выполняются задачи?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Экспорт контрольного листа"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Экспорт контрольного листа",
+  "Reading folder": "Чтение папки"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/uk.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/uk.json
index ac71e7cf..30671a82 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/uk.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/uk.json
@@ -2058,5 +2058,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "Дочекайтеся завершення імпорту",
   "Show less": "Показати менше",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "Вийти, поки виконуються завдання?",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "Експорт аркуша мініатюр"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "Експорт аркуша мініатюр",
+  "Reading folder": "Читання папки"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hans.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hans.json
index a879ec47..a993a5d0 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hans.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hans.json
@@ -1864,5 +1864,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "请等待导入完成",
   "Show less": "收起",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "要在任务运行时退出吗？",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "正在导出联系表"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "正在导出联系表",
+  "Reading folder": "正在读取文件夹"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hant.json b/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hant.json
index dda65b75..e13a9486 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hant.json
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/locales/zh-hant.json
@@ -1864,5 +1864,6 @@
   "Wait for the import to finish": "請等待匯入完成",
   "Show less": "收合",
   "Quit while tasks are running?": "要在工作執行時結束嗎？",
-  "Exporting contact sheet": "正在匯出聯絡表"
+  "Exporting contact sheet": "正在匯出聯絡表",
+  "Reading folder": "正在讀取檔案夾"
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/import.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/import.rs
index 4b1e4077..9589554f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/import.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/import.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 //! chosen folder, filed by day, by month, into one folder or by a custom folder template,
 //! optionally renamed), an album (existing or new), a preset and keywords to apply. Importing
 //! runs on a worker thread (files are probed, copied or moved there) and its batches join the
-//! catalog between frames, with a progress window and Cancel; the whole import is one undo step.
+//! catalog between frames, with a row and ✕ in the activity stack (issue #345); the whole import is
+//! one undo step.
 
 use egui::{Align2, Color32, Rect, Sense, Stroke, StrokeKind, pos2, vec2};
 use lightcraft_engine::import::{ImportCandidate, ScanInput, ScanOutput, ScanProgress, scan_with};
@@ -235,6 +236,8 @@ pub struct ImportTask {
     /// Auto Import: the selection to keep.
     keep_selection: Option<lightcraft_engine::Selection>,
     run: Option<ImportRun>,
+    /// The import's row in the activity stack (its ✕ and `activity.cancel` set the run's cancel flag).
+    guard: Option<lightcraft_engine::activity::TaskGuard>,
 }
 
 impl ImportTask {
@@ -648,7 +651,11 @@ pub fn tick(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
             task.keep_selection = Some(app.session.selection.clone());
         }
         match started {
-            Ok(run) => task.run = Some(run),
+            Ok(run) => {
+                let label = if task.browse { "Reading folder" } else { "Importing" };
+                task.guard = Some(app.session.activity.start("import", label, lightcraft_engine::activity::Cancel::Flag(run.cancel.clone())));
+                task.run = Some(run);
+            }
             Err(e) => {
                 log::warn!("import: {e}");
                 app.toast(ctx, crate::i18n::tr_format!("Import failed: {e}", e = e));
@@ -671,6 +678,13 @@ pub fn tick(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
         task.total = run.total.load(Ordering::Relaxed).max(task.total);
         task.done = run.done.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
     }
+    if let Some(guard) = &task.guard {
+        guard.progress(task.done as u64, task.total as u64);
+        // ✕ in the stack (or `activity.cancel`): no further files are started
+        if guard.is_cancelled() {
+            task.cancelled = true;
+        }
+    }
     if !finished {
         app.import = Some(task);
         return;
@@ -812,40 +826,6 @@ fn show_existing(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, existing: &[u64])
     true
 }
 
-/// The progress window while an import runs, with Cancel (files already copied or added stay;
-/// nothing new is started).
-pub fn progress(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
-    let Some(task) = &app.import else { return };
-    let t = Tokens::get(ctx);
-    let frac = task.done as f32 / task.total.max(1) as f32;
-    let text = if task.cancelled {
-        crate::i18n::tr("Stopping…").to_string()
-    } else if task.browse {
-        crate::i18n::tr_format!("Reading photos… {} of {}", task.done, task.total)
-    } else {
-        crate::i18n::tr_format!("Adding photos… {} of {}", task.done, task.total)
-    };
-    let mut cancel = false;
-    egui::Window::new(crate::i18n::tr("Importing"))
-        .title_bar(false)
-        .resizable(false)
-        .anchor(Align2::CENTER_BOTTOM, [0.0, -80.0])
-        .fixed_size([340.0, 80.0])
-        .show(ctx, |ui| {
-            ui.label(egui::RichText::new(text).color(t.text));
-            ui.add(egui::ProgressBar::new(frac).desired_width(320.0));
-            let r = ui.add_enabled(!task.cancelled, egui::Button::new(crate::i18n::tr("Cancel")));
-            register(ui.ctx(), "button:importCancel", r.rect);
-            cancel = r.clicked();
-        });
-    if cancel && let Some(task) = app.import.as_mut() {
-        task.cancelled = true;
-        if let Some(run) = &task.run {
-            run.cancel.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 /// The dialog body: options, then the candidate grid.
 pub fn body(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, d: &mut ImportDialog) {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index bae21dac..0e9da3ec 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -1072,7 +1072,6 @@ impl LightcraftApp {
         panels::notices::show(self, &ctx);
         panels::dialogs::show(self, &ctx);
         panels::library_problem::show(self, &ctx);
-        import::progress(self, &ctx);
         sync::progress_window(self, &ctx);
         import::scan_progress(self, &ctx);
         lightroom_import::progress(self, &ctx);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_activity.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_activity.rs
index 336ab5ea..9cdcd8d4 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_activity.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_activity.rs
@@ -211,3 +211,45 @@ fn dead_export_worker_leaves_no_row() {
     assert!(h.step_until(Duration::from_secs(60), |h| h.app.export.is_none()));
     assert!(h.app.session.activity.list().is_empty());
 }
+
+/// A folder of `n` stand-in JPEGs and an app whose file probe takes 100 ms each (a slow drive).
+fn slow_import(tag: &str, n: usize) -> (Headless, std::path::PathBuf) {
+    let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("lc-activity-{tag}-{}", std::process::id()));
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+    for i in 0..n {
+        std::fs::write(dir.join(format!("IMG_{i:03}.jpg")), format!("not really a jpeg {i}")).unwrap();
+    }
+    let mut s = lightcraft_engine::Session::new();
+    s.media.file_probe = Some(std::sync::Arc::new(|p: &str| {
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100));
+        Ok(lightcraft_engine::media::ProbeInfo {
+            width: 60,
+            height: 40,
+            format: "JPEG".into(),
+            content_hash: Some(p.to_string()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+    }));
+    let mut h = Headless::new(LightcraftApp::new(s, Services { png: None, ..Default::default() }), [1200.0, 800.0], 1.0);
+    h.step();
+    (h, dir)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn import_cancelled_by_command_reports_cancelled() {
+    let n = 40;
+    let (mut h, dir) = slow_import("cancel", n);
+    let undo0 = h.app.session.undo.len();
+    crate::import::start_paths(&mut h.app, vec![dir.to_string_lossy().to_string()]).unwrap();
+    assert!(h.step_until(Duration::from_secs(60), |h| h.app.import.as_ref().is_some_and(|t| t.imported >= 2)));
+    let tasks = h.app.session.activity.list();
+    assert_eq!(tasks.first().map(|t| t.kind), Some("import"), "{tasks:?}");
+    h.app.session.activity.cancel(tasks[0].id).unwrap();
+    assert!(h.step_until(Duration::from_secs(60), |h| h.app.import.is_none()));
+    assert!(h.app.session.activity.list().is_empty());
+    assert!(h.app.ui.toast.as_ref().is_some_and(|t| t.0.starts_with("Import cancelled")), "{:?}", h.app.ui.toast);
+    assert!(h.app.session.catalog.len() < n, "stopped part-way");
+    assert_eq!(h.app.session.undo.len(), undo0 + 1, "one undo step");
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+}
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_offline.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_offline.rs
index b9896049..894e1e4e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_offline.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_offline.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ fn import_reads_files_off_the_ui_thread_and_can_be_cancelled() {
     let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("lc-ui-slow-import-{}", std::process::id()));
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
-    let n = 40;
+    // enough files that the import is still running when its activity row shows (after 0.5 s)
+    let n = 120;
     for i in 0..n {
         std::fs::write(dir.join(format!("IMG_{i:03}.jpg")), format!("not really a jpeg {i}")).unwrap();
     }
@@ -163,8 +164,11 @@ fn import_reads_files_off_the_ui_thread_and_can_be_cancelled() {
     assert!(h.app.import.is_some(), "still importing");
     let status = h.app.import.as_ref().map(crate::import::ImportTask::status).unwrap_or_default();
     assert!(status["total"].as_u64().unwrap_or(0) >= 8, "{status}");
-    // Cancel: the files being read finish, nothing new starts
-    let r = h.request("ui.clickWidget", json!({"id": "button:importCancel"}), Duration::from_secs(10));
+    // Cancel (the ✕ of its row in the activity stack): the files being read finish, nothing new starts
+    let id = h.app.session.activity.list().first().map(|t| t.id).expect("an import row");
+    let cross = format!("activity:cancel:{id}");
+    assert!(h.step_until(Duration::from_secs(10), |h| h.app.widgets.iter().any(|(w, _)| *w == cross)), "the row shows");
+    let r = h.request("ui.clickWidget", json!({"id": cross}), Duration::from_secs(10));
     assert_eq!(r["ok"], true, "{r}");
     let t0 = Instant::now();
     while h.app.import.is_some() && t0.elapsed() < Duration::from_secs(60) {