diff --git a/node/handler/ImportHandler.js b/node/handler/ImportHandler.js
index 06a2ce5ca..3dccb8af4 100644
--- a/node/handler/ImportHandler.js
+++ b/node/handler/ImportHandler.js
@@ -115,7 +115,15 @@ exports.doImport = function(req, res, padId)
     {
       var randNum = Math.floor(Math.random()*0xFFFFFFFF);
       destFile = tempDirectory + "eplite_import_" + randNum + ".txt";
-      abiword.convertFile(srcFile, destFile, "txt", callback);
+      abiword.convertFile(srcFile, destFile, "txt", function(err){
+        //catch convert errors
+        if(err){
+          console.warn("Converting Error:", err);
+          return callback("convertFailed");
+        } else {
+          callback();
+        }
+      });
     },
     
     //get the pad object
@@ -176,16 +184,18 @@ exports.doImport = function(req, res, padId)
     }
   ], function(err)
   {
-    //the upload failed, there is nothing we can do, send a 500
-    if(err == "uploadFailed")
+    var status = "ok";
+    
+    //check for known errors and replace the status
+    if(err == "uploadFailed" || err == "convertFailed")
     {
-      res.send(500);
-      return;
+      status = err;
+      err = null;
     }
 
     ERR(err);
   
     //close the connection
-    res.send("ok");
+    res.send("<script>document.domain = document.domain; var impexp = window.top.require('/pad_impexp').padimpexp.handleFrameCall('" + status + "'); </script>", 200);
   });
 }
diff --git a/node/utils/Abiword.js b/node/utils/Abiword.js
index c53a6ab37..27138e648 100644
--- a/node/utils/Abiword.js
+++ b/node/utils/Abiword.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ if(os.type().indexOf("Windows") > -1)
     abiword.on('exit', function (code)
     {
       if(code != 0) {
-        throw "Abiword died with exit code " + code;
+        return callback("Abiword died with exit code " + code);
       }
 
       if(stdoutBuffer != "")
@@ -75,52 +75,54 @@ if(os.type().indexOf("Windows") > -1)
 else
 {
   //spawn the abiword process
-  var abiword = spawn(settings.abiword, ["--plugin", "AbiCommand"]);
-
-  //append error messages to the buffer
-  abiword.stderr.on('data', function (data) 
-  {
-    stdoutBuffer += data.toString();
-  });
-
-  //throw exceptions if abiword is dieing
-  abiword.on('exit', function (code) 
-  {
-    throw "Abiword died with exit code " + code;
-  });
-
-  //delegate the processing of stdout to a other function
-  abiword.stdout.on('data',onAbiwordStdout);
-
+  var abiword;
   var stdoutCallback = null;
-  var stdoutBuffer = "";
-  var firstPrompt = true;
+  var spawnAbiword = function (){
+    abiword = spawn(settings.abiword, ["--plugin", "AbiCommand"]);
+    var stdoutBuffer = "";
+    var firstPrompt = true;  
 
-  function onAbiwordStdout(data)
-  {
-    //add data to buffer
-    stdoutBuffer+=data.toString();
-    
-    //we're searching for the prompt, cause this means everything we need is in the buffer
-    if(stdoutBuffer.search("AbiWord:>") != -1)
+    //append error messages to the buffer
+    abiword.stderr.on('data', function (data) 
     {
-      //filter the feedback message
-      var err = stdoutBuffer.search("OK") != -1 ? null : stdoutBuffer;
+      stdoutBuffer += data.toString();
+    });
+
+    //abiword died, let's restart abiword and return an error with the callback
+    abiword.on('exit', function (code) 
+    {
+      spawnAbiword();
+      stdoutCallback("Abiword died with exit code " + code);
+    });
+
+    //delegate the processing of stdout to a other function
+    abiword.stdout.on('data',function (data)
+    {
+      //add data to buffer
+      stdoutBuffer+=data.toString();
       
-      //reset the buffer
-      stdoutBuffer = "";
-      
-      //call the callback with the error message
-      //skip the first prompt
-      if(stdoutCallback != null && !firstPrompt)
+      //we're searching for the prompt, cause this means everything we need is in the buffer
+      if(stdoutBuffer.search("AbiWord:>") != -1)
       {
-        stdoutCallback(err);
-        stdoutCallback = null;
+        //filter the feedback message
+        var err = stdoutBuffer.search("OK") != -1 ? null : stdoutBuffer;
+        
+        //reset the buffer
+        stdoutBuffer = "";
+        
+        //call the callback with the error message
+        //skip the first prompt
+        if(stdoutCallback != null && !firstPrompt)
+        {
+          stdoutCallback(err);
+          stdoutCallback = null;
+        }
+        
+        firstPrompt = false;
       }
-      
-      firstPrompt = false;
-    }
+    });
   }
+  spawnAbiword();
 
   doConvertTask = function(task, callback)
   {
@@ -130,6 +132,7 @@ else
     stdoutCallback = function (err)
     {
       callback();
+      console.log("queue continue");
       task.callback(err);
     };
   }
diff --git a/static/js/pad_impexp.js b/static/js/pad_impexp.js
index 6fe42c705..7ec0b3442 100644
--- a/static/js/pad_impexp.js
+++ b/static/js/pad_impexp.js
@@ -95,11 +95,6 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
       }, 0);
       $('#importarrow').stop(true, true).hide();
       $('#importstatusball').show();
-      
-      $("#import .importframe").load(function()
-      {
-        importDone();
-      });
     }
     return ret;
   }
@@ -107,8 +102,6 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
   function importFailed(msg)
   {
     importErrorMessage(msg);
-    importDone();
-    addImportFrames();
   }
 
   function importDone()
@@ -120,6 +113,7 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
     }, 0);
     $('#importstatusball').hide();
     importClearTimeout();
+    addImportFrames();
   }
 
   function importClearTimeout()
@@ -131,11 +125,19 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
     }
   }
 
-  function importErrorMessage(msg)
+  function importErrorMessage(status)
   {
+    var msg="";
+  
+    if(status === "convertFailed"){
+      msg = "We were not able to import this file. Please use a different document format or copy paste manually";
+    } else if(status === "uploadFailed"){
+      msg = "The upload failed, please try again";
+    }
+  
     function showError(fade)
     {
-      $('#importmessagefail').html('<strong style="color: red">Import failed:</strong> ' + (msg || 'Please try a different file.'))[(fade ? "fadeIn" : "show")]();
+      $('#importmessagefail').html('<strong style="color: red">Import failed:</strong> ' + (msg || 'Please copy paste'))[(fade ? "fadeIn" : "show")]();
     }
 
     if ($('#importexport .importmessage').is(':visible'))
@@ -175,39 +177,6 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
     importDone();
   }
 
-  function importApplicationSuccessful(data, textStatus)
-  {
-    if (data.substr(0, 2) == "ok")
-    {
-      if ($('#importexport .importmessage').is(':visible'))
-      {
-        $('#importexport .importmessage').hide();
-      }
-      $('#importmessagesuccess').html('<strong style="color: green">Import successful!</strong>').show();
-      $('#importformfilediv').hide();
-      window.setTimeout(function()
-      {
-        $('#importmessagesuccess').fadeOut("slow", function()
-        {
-          $('#importformfilediv').show();
-        });
-        if (hidePanelCall)
-        {
-          hidePanelCall();
-        }
-      }, 3000);
-    }
-    else if (data.substr(0, 4) == "fail")
-    {
-      importErrorMessage("Couldn't update pad contents. This can happen if your web browser has \"cookies\" disabled.");
-    }
-    else if (data.substr(0, 4) == "msg:")
-    {
-      importErrorMessage(data.substr(4));
-    }
-    importDone();
-  }
-
   ///// export
 
   function cantExport()
@@ -290,16 +259,14 @@ var padimpexp = (function()
       $('#importform').submit(fileInputSubmit);
       $('.disabledexport').click(cantExport);
     },
-    handleFrameCall: function(callName, argsArray)
+    handleFrameCall: function(status)
     {
-      if (callName == 'importFailed')
+      if (status !== "ok")
       {
-        importFailed(argsArray[0]);
-      }
-      else if (callName == 'importSuccessful')
-      {
-        importSuccessful(argsArray[0]);
+        importFailed(status);
       }
+      
+      importDone();
     },
     disable: function()
     {