diff --git a/__tests__/src/reducers/manifests.test.js b/__tests__/src/reducers/manifests.test.js
index 1f01025cf6a2a2e2425ff5ca9e83a56a06f0dcc7..31ce91188f7796d62f1607b3baa9c43ba09d716a 100644
--- a/__tests__/src/reducers/manifests.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/src/reducers/manifests.test.js
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ describe('manifests reducer', () => {
     });
   });
   it('should handle IMPORT_MIRADOR_STATE setting to clean state', () => {
-    expect(manifestsReducer({}, {
+    expect(manifestsReducer({ old: 'stuff' }, {
       state: { manifests: { new: 'stuff' } },
       type: ActionTypes.IMPORT_MIRADOR_STATE,
-    })).toEqual({});
+    })).toEqual({ new: 'stuff' });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/state/reducers/manifests.js b/src/state/reducers/manifests.js
index 3d56bbe58dc47795225ebcabed51b71ccab5545d..2fb36b4b36ddf49e061a364ef1657a8fcdf7181e 100644
--- a/src/state/reducers/manifests.js
+++ b/src/state/reducers/manifests.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export const manifestsReducer = (state = {}, action) => {
         return object;
       }, {});
     case ActionTypes.IMPORT_MIRADOR_STATE:
-      return {};
+      return action.state.manifests || {};
     default: return state;
   }
 };