diff --git a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLImporter.cpp b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLImporter.cpp
index 24e9947c68..21d5b453b0 100644
--- a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLImporter.cpp
+++ b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLImporter.cpp
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ SEDMLImporter::parseSEDML(const std::string & sedmlDocumentText,
 
           case LIBSEDML_SEV_FATAL:
 
-            // treat unknown as fatal
+          // treat unknown as fatal
           default:
 
             if (pSEDMLError->getErrorId() == 10804)
@@ -1064,15 +1064,22 @@ SEDMLImporter::parseSEDML(const std::string & sedmlDocumentText,
   // initialize data:
   initializeContent();
 
+  setSEDMLDocument(pSEDMLDocument);
+
   // merge subtasks if needed
   mergeNestedSubtasks();
 
-  setSEDMLDocument(pSEDMLDocument);
-
-  if (pOptions != NULL && !pOptions->getModelId().empty())
-    importModel(pOptions->getModelId());
+  if (pOptions == NULL || pOptions->skipModelImport() == false)
+    {
+      if (pOptions != NULL && !pOptions->getModelId().empty())
+        importModel(pOptions->getModelId());
+      else
+        importFirstSBMLModel();
+    }
   else
-    importFirstSBMLModel();
+    {
+      mpCopasiModel = pDataModel->getModel();
+    }
 
   if (pOptions != NULL && !pOptions->getTaskId().empty())
     importTask(mpSEDMLDocument->getTask(pOptions->getTaskId()), false);
@@ -1083,7 +1090,6 @@ SEDMLImporter::parseSEDML(const std::string & sedmlDocumentText,
 
   assignReportDefinitions();
 
-
   if (mpProcessReport != NULL)
     mpProcessReport->finishItem(mhImportStep);
 
@@ -1145,10 +1151,8 @@ void SEDMLImporter::importTasks(CDataVectorN< CCopasiTask > * pTaskList)
 
       importTask(task, pTaskList);
     }
-
 }
 
-
 void SEDMLImporter::assignReportDefinitions(CDataVectorN< CCopasiTask > * pTaskList)
 {
 
@@ -1292,7 +1296,7 @@ void SEDMLImporter::importTask(
                     std::stringstream str;
                     std::vector< double > vals = vrange->getValues();
 
-for (double val : vals)
+                    for (double val : vals)
                       str << val << " ";
 
                     group->setValue< std::string >("Values", str.str());
@@ -1428,7 +1432,7 @@ SEDMLImporter::convertSimpleFunctionalRange(SedFunctionalRange * frange, SedRepe
               knownValues[p->getId()] = p->getValue();
             }
 
-for (auto value : oldValues)
+          for (auto value : oldValues)
             {
               knownValues[insideVRange->getId()] = value;
               newValues.push_back(SBMLTransforms::evaluateASTNode(frange->getMath(), knownValues));
diff --git a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.cpp b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.cpp
index b4d0b1222b..ea4a6b54d9 100644
--- a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.cpp
+++ b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.cpp
@@ -681,6 +681,9 @@ void SEDMLUtils::setLibCombineTempDir()
 const CDataObject *
 SEDMLUtils::getObjectForSbmlId(const CModel * pModel, const std::string & id, const std::string & SBMLType, bool initial /* = false*/)
 {
+  if (!pModel)
+    return NULL;
+
   if (SBMLType == "Time")
     return static_cast< const CDataObject * >(pModel->getObject(CCommonName("Reference=Time")));
 
@@ -959,25 +962,7 @@ SedmlInfo::SedmlInfo(SedDocument * pDocument, bool ownDocument)
   if (!pDocument)
     return;
 
-  std::map< int, int > taskCount;
-
-  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < pDocument->getNumTasks(); ++i)
-    {
-      auto * current = pDocument->getTask(i);
-      mTaskMap[current->getId()] = getModelForTask(current);
-      taskCount[current->getTypeCode()] = taskCount[current->getTypeCode()] + 1;
-      mReports[current->getId()] = std::vector< std::pair< std::string, std::string > >();
-      mPlots[current->getId()] = std::vector< std::pair< std::string, std::string > >();
-      std::stringstream str;
-
-      if (current->isSetName())
-        str << current->getName() << " - ";
-
-      str << current->getId();
-
-      mTaskNames.push_back(std::make_pair(current->getId(), str.str()));
-      mComplex |= taskCount[current->getTypeCode()] > 1 || mTaskMap[current->getId()].size() > 1;
-    }
+  std::map< std::pair< int, int>, int > taskCount;
 
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < pDocument->getNumOutputs(); ++i)
     {
@@ -1000,6 +985,57 @@ SedmlInfo::SedmlInfo(SedDocument * pDocument, bool ownDocument)
             mPlots[taskId].push_back(std::make_pair(current->getId(), str.str()));
         }
     }
+
+  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < pDocument->getNumTasks(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto * current = pDocument->getTask(i);
+
+      if (isRecursiveWithoutOutputs(current))
+        continue;
+
+      mTaskMap[current->getId()] = getModelForTask(current);
+
+      int simType = SEDML_SIMULATION;
+
+      if (current->getTypeCode() == SEDML_TASK)
+        {
+          auto * simulation = pDocument->getSimulation(dynamic_cast< SedTask * >(current)->getSimulationReference());
+
+          if (simulation != NULL)
+            simType = simulation->getTypeCode();
+        }
+
+      auto currentKey = std::make_pair(current->getTypeCode(), simType);
+
+      taskCount[currentKey] = taskCount[currentKey] + 1;
+      std::stringstream str;
+
+      if (current->isSetName())
+        str << current->getName() << " - ";
+
+      str << current->getId();
+
+      mTaskNames.push_back(std::make_pair(current->getId(), str.str()));
+      mComplex |= taskCount[currentKey] > 1 || mTaskMap[current->getId()].size() > 1;
+    }
+}
+
+bool SedmlInfo::hasOutputs(const std::string & taskId)
+{
+  return !(mReports[taskId].empty() && mPlots[taskId].empty());
+}
+
+bool SedmlInfo::isRecursiveWithoutOutputs(SedAbstractTask * task)
+{
+  auto * repeat = dynamic_cast< SedRepeatedTask * >(task);
+
+  if (repeat == NULL)
+    return false;
+
+  if (hasOutputs(task->getId()))
+    return false;
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 SedmlInfo::~SedmlInfo()
@@ -1283,6 +1319,7 @@ SedmlImportOptions::SedmlImportOptions(
   , mPlots(plots)
   , mReportId(reportId)
   , mReportFile(reportFilename)
+  , mSkipModelImport(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -1295,11 +1332,22 @@ SedmlImportOptions & SedmlImportOptions::operator=(const SedmlImportOptions & rh
       mPlots = rhs.mPlots;
       mReportId = rhs.mReportId;
       mReportFile = rhs.mReportFile;
+      mSkipModelImport = rhs.mSkipModelImport;
     }
 
   return *this;
 }
 
+void SedmlImportOptions::setSkipModelImport(bool skipModelLoading)
+{
+  mSkipModelImport = skipModelLoading;
+}
+
+bool SedmlImportOptions::skipModelImport() const
+{
+  return mSkipModelImport;
+}
+
 const std::string & SedmlImportOptions::getTaskId() const
 {
   return mTaskId;
diff --git a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.h b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.h
index 30ce00f4ca..86d11ec41b 100644
--- a/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.h
+++ b/copasi/sedml/SEDMLUtils.h
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class SedmlInfo
   bool isSupported();
 
   /**
-   * @return true, if the document is complex ( > 1 model, multiple
+   * @return true, if the document is complex (> 1 model, multiple
              tasks of the same type ) requiring the user to choose
              which one to import.
    */
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ class SedmlInfo
   std::vector< std::pair< std::string, std::string > > getReportsForTask(const std::string & taskId);
   std::vector< std::pair< std::string, std::string > > getPlotsForTask(const std::string & taskId);
 
+  bool hasOutputs(const std::string & taskId);
+  bool isRecursiveWithoutOutputs(SedAbstractTask * task);
+
   std::string getReportFileName(const std::string & reportId);
   void setReportFileName(const std::string & reportId, const std::string & fileName);
 
@@ -146,7 +149,6 @@ class SedmlInfo
   static SedmlInfo forFile(const std::string & fileName);
 };
 
-
 /**
  * Utility methods for SED-ML Import / Export
  */
@@ -236,7 +238,6 @@ class SEDMLUtils
   static int getAlphaFromArgb(const std::string & argb);
   static int getAlphaFromRgba(const std::string & rgba);
 
-
   /**
    * updates the libcombine temp directory to the COPASI temp path
    */
diff --git a/copasi/sedml/SedmlImportOptions.h b/copasi/sedml/SedmlImportOptions.h
index 2c688cc69a..e8ef2fcfd3 100644
--- a/copasi/sedml/SedmlImportOptions.h
+++ b/copasi/sedml/SedmlImportOptions.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class SedmlImportOptions
   std::vector< std::string > mPlots;
   std::string mReportId;
   std::string mReportFile;
+  bool mSkipModelImport;
 
 public:
   SedmlImportOptions(
@@ -27,6 +28,9 @@ class SedmlImportOptions
 
   SedmlImportOptions & operator=(const SedmlImportOptions & rhs);
 
+  void setSkipModelImport(bool skipModelLoading);
+  bool skipModelImport() const;
+
   const std::string & getTaskId() const;
   const std::string & getModelId() const;
   const std::string & getReportId() const;
@@ -36,8 +40,4 @@ class SedmlImportOptions
   bool isValid() const;
 };
 
-
 #endif // SEDML_IMPORT_OPTIONS_H
-
-
-
diff --git a/tests/test_sedml.cpp b/tests/test_sedml.cpp
index 659de3e794..ca43a0b6e4 100644
--- a/tests/test_sedml.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_sedml.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ TEST_CASE("importing variables with terms", "[copasi,sedml]")
   CRootContainer::removeDatamodel(dm);
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("export nested scan", "[copasi,sedml]")
+TEST_CASE("export / import nested scan", "[copasi,sedml]")
 {
   auto * dm = CRootContainer::addDatamodel();
   REQUIRE(dm != nullptr);
@@ -156,8 +156,25 @@ TEST_CASE("export nested scan", "[copasi,sedml]")
   REQUIRE(doc->getDataGenerator("Rtot_1_task3") == NULL);
   REQUIRE(doc->getDataGenerator("Rtot_1_task5") != NULL);
 
+  // the model has a timecourse, and a steady state scan with 3 variables, as such it should not be complex
+  REQUIRE(SedmlInfo(doc).isComplex() == false);
+
+  // if we had another time course then it should be complex
+  {
+    auto * task = doc->getTask(0)->clone();
+    task->setId("anotherTaks");
+    doc->getListOfTasks()->appendAndOwn(task);
+    REQUIRE(SedmlInfo(doc).isComplex() == true);
+  }
+
   delete doc;
 
+  // now import
+  SedmlImportOptions opts;
+  opts.setSkipModelImport(true);
+  dm->importSEDMLFromString(sedml, "", NULL, true, &opts);
+  REQUIRE(dynamic_cast< CScanProblem * >(dm->getTaskList()->operator[]("Scan").getProblem())->getNumberOfScanItems() == 3);
+
   CRootContainer::removeDatamodel(dm);
 }