diff --git a/lib/Database.php b/lib/Database.php
index ad6e76d3..472da39d 100644
--- a/lib/Database.php
+++ b/lib/Database.php
@@ -828,14 +828,14 @@ class Database {
             return (int) $this->db->prepare('INSERT INTO arsse_subscriptions(owner, url, deleted) values(?,?,?)', 'str', 'str', 'bool')->run($user, $url, 1)->lastId();
         } catch (Db\ExceptionInput $e) {
             // if the insertion fails, throw if the delete flag is not set, otherwise return the existing ID
-            $id = (int) $this->db->prepare("SELECT id from arsse_subscriptions where owner = ? and url = ? and deleted = 1", "str", "str")->run($user, $url)->getValue();
+            $id = $this->db->prepare("SELECT id from arsse_subscriptions where owner = ? and url = ? and deleted = 1", "str", "str")->run($user, $url)->getValue();
             if (!$id) {
                 throw $e;
             } else {
                 // set the modification timestamp to the current time so it doesn't get cleaned up too soon
                 $this->db->prepare("UPDATE arsse_subscriptions set modified = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP where id = ?", "int")->run($id);
             }
-            return $id;
+            return (int) $id;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/Feed.php b/lib/Feed.php
index 168a4427..3129a75d 100644
--- a/lib/Feed.php
+++ b/lib/Feed.php
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ class Feed {
     public $items = [];
     public $newItems = [];
     public $changedItems = [];
-    public $filteredItems = [];
 
     public static function discover(string $url, string $username = '', string $password = ''): string {
         // fetch the candidate feed
@@ -83,9 +82,6 @@ class Feed {
             if (!sizeof($this->newItems) && !sizeof($this->changedItems)) {
                 $this->modified = false;
             } else {
-                if ($feedID) {
-                    $this->computeFilterRules($feedID);
-                }
                 // if requested, scrape full content for any new and changed items
                 if ($scrape) {
                     $this->scrape();
diff --git a/lib/ImportExport/AbstractImportExport.php b/lib/ImportExport/AbstractImportExport.php
index 6f0496fd..2a2df8d0 100644
--- a/lib/ImportExport/AbstractImportExport.php
+++ b/lib/ImportExport/AbstractImportExport.php
@@ -34,9 +34,18 @@ abstract class AbstractImportExport {
                 $folderMap[$f['parent']][$f['name']] = true;
             }
         }
-        // get feed IDs for each URL, adding feeds where necessary
+        // add any new feeds, and try an initial fetch on them
+        $feedMap = [];
         foreach ($feeds as $k => $f) {
-            $feeds[$k]['id'] = Arsse::$db->feedAdd(($f['url']));
+            try {
+                $feedMap[$k] = Arsse::$db->subscriptionReserve($user, $f['url']);
+            } catch (InputException $e) {
+                // duplication is not an error in this case
+            }
+        }
+        foreach ($feedMap as $f) {
+            // this may fail with an exception, halting the process before visible modifications are made to the database
+            Arsse::$db->subscriptionUpdate($user, $f, true);
         }
         // start a transaction for atomic rollback
         $tr = Arsse::$db->begin();
@@ -61,27 +70,26 @@ abstract class AbstractImportExport {
             }
         }
         // process newsfeed subscriptions
-        $feedMap = [];
         $tagMap = [];
-        foreach ($feeds as $f) {
+        foreach ($feeds as $k => $f) {
             $folder = $folderMap[$f['folder']];
             $title = strlen(trim($f['title'])) ? $f['title'] : null;
-            $found = false;
-            // find a match for the import feed is existing subscriptions
-            foreach ($feedsDb as $db) {
-                if ((int) $db['feed'] == $f['id']) {
-                    $found = true;
-                    $feedMap[$f['id']] = (int) $db['id'];
-                    break;
+            $new = false;
+            // find a match for the import feed in existing subscriptions, if necessary; reveal the subscription if it's just been added
+            if (!isset($feedMap[$k])) {
+                foreach ($feedsDb as $db) {
+                    if ($db['url'] === $f['url']) {
+                        $feedMap[$k] = (int) $db['id'];
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
+            } else {
+                $new = true;
+                Arsse::$db->subscriptionReveal($user, $feedMap[$k]);
             }
-            if (!$found) {
-                // if no subscription exists, add one
-                $feedMap[$f['id']] = Arsse::$db->subscriptionAdd($user, $f['url']);
-            }
-            if (!$found || $replace) {
+            if (!$new || $replace) {
                 // set the subscription's properties, if this is a new feed or we're doing a full replacement
-                Arsse::$db->subscriptionPropertiesSet($user, $feedMap[$f['id']], ['title' => $title, 'folder' => $folder]);
+                Arsse::$db->subscriptionPropertiesSet($user, $feedMap[$k], ['title' => $title, 'folder' => $folder]);
                 // compile the set of used tags, if this is a new feed or we're doing a full replacement
                 foreach ($f['tags'] as $t) {
                     if (!strlen(trim($t))) {
@@ -92,7 +100,7 @@ abstract class AbstractImportExport {
                         // populate the tag map
                         $tagMap[$t] = [];
                     }
-                    $tagMap[$t][] = $f['id'];
+                    $tagMap[$t][] = $feedMap[$k];
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/lib/REST/Miniflux/V1.php b/lib/REST/Miniflux/V1.php
index 08061446..c0e39cb1 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Miniflux/V1.php
+++ b/lib/REST/Miniflux/V1.php
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ class V1 extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\REST\AbstractHandler {
         // Miniflux does not attempt to coerce values into different types
         foreach (self::VALID_JSON as $k => $t) {
             if (!isset($body[$k])) {
+                // if a valid key is missing set it to null so that any key may be accessed safely
                 $body[$k] = null;
             } elseif (gettype($body[$k]) !== $t) {
                 return self::respError(["InvalidInputType", 'field' => $k, 'expected' => $t, 'actual' => gettype($body[$k])], 422);
diff --git a/tests/cases/Feed/TestFeed.php b/tests/cases/Feed/TestFeed.php
index 8630f51b..518df4e2 100644
--- a/tests/cases/Feed/TestFeed.php
+++ b/tests/cases/Feed/TestFeed.php
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ class TestFeed extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
         $this->dbMock->feedMatchLatest->with(1, Phony::any())->returns(new Result($this->latest));
         $this->dbMock->feedMatchIds->with(Phony::wildcard())->returns(new Result([]));
         $this->dbMock->feedMatchIds->with(1, Phony::wildcard())->returns(new Result($this->others));
-        $this->dbMock->feedRulesGet->returns([]);
         Arsse::$db = $this->dbMock->get();
     }
 
@@ -386,26 +385,4 @@ class TestFeed extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
         $this->assertSame("image/gif", $f->iconType);
         $this->assertSame($d, $f->iconData);
     }
-
-    public function testApplyFilterRules(): void {
-        $exp = [
-            'jack' => ['new' => [false, true, true,  false, true],  'changed' => [7 => true,  47 => true, 2112 => false, 1 => true,  42 => false]],
-            'sam'  => ['new' => [false, true, false, false, false], 'changed' => [7 => false, 47 => true, 2112 => false, 1 => false, 42 => false]],
-        ];
-        $this->dbMock->feedMatchIds->returns(new Result([
-            // these are the sixth through tenth entries in the feed; the title hashes have been omitted for brevity
-            ['id' => 7,    'guid' => '0f2a218c311e3d8105f1b075142a5d26dabf056ffc61abe77e96c8f071bbf4a7', 'edited' => null, 'url_title_hash' => "", 'url_content_hash' => '', 'title_content_hash' => ''],
-            ['id' => 47,   'guid' => '1c19e3b9018bc246b7414ae919ddebc88d0c575129e8c4a57b84b826c00f6db5', 'edited' => null, 'url_title_hash' => "", 'url_content_hash' => '', 'title_content_hash' => ''],
-            ['id' => 2112, 'guid' => '964db0b9292ad0c7a6c225f2e0966f3bda53486fae65db0310c97409974e65b8', 'edited' => null, 'url_title_hash' => "", 'url_content_hash' => '', 'title_content_hash' => ''],
-            ['id' => 1,    'guid' => '436070cda5713a0d9a8fdc8652c7ab142f0550697acfd5206a16c18aee355039', 'edited' => null, 'url_title_hash' => "", 'url_content_hash' => '', 'title_content_hash' => ''],
-            ['id' => 42,   'guid' => '1a731433a1904220ef26e731ada7262e1d5bcecae53e7b5df9e1f5713af6e5d3', 'edited' => null, 'url_title_hash' => "", 'url_content_hash' => '', 'title_content_hash' => ''],
-        ]));
-        $this->dbMock->feedRulesGet->returns([
-            'jack' => ['keep' => "",         'block' => '`A|W|J|S`u'],
-            'sam'  => ['keep' => "`B|T|X`u", 'block' => '`C`u'],
-        ]);
-        Arsse::$db = $this->dbMock->get();
-        $f = new Feed(5, $this->base."Filtering/1");
-        $this->assertSame($exp, $f->filteredItems);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/cases/REST/Miniflux/TestV1.php b/tests/cases/REST/Miniflux/TestV1.php
index 759f7835..ced20dc9 100644
--- a/tests/cases/REST/Miniflux/TestV1.php
+++ b/tests/cases/REST/Miniflux/TestV1.php
@@ -553,93 +553,56 @@ class TestV1 extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
     }
 
     /** @dataProvider provideFeedCreations */
-    public function testCreateAFeed(array $in, $out1, $out2, $out3, $out4, ResponseInterface $exp): void {
-        if ($out1 instanceof \Exception) {
-            $this->dbMock->feedAdd->throws($out1);
+    public function testCreateAFeed(array $in, $out, ResponseInterface $exp): void {
+        if ($out instanceof \Exception) {
+            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->throws($out);
         } else {
-            $this->dbMock->feedAdd->returns($out1);
-        }
-        if ($out2 instanceof \Exception) {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->throws($out2);
-        } else {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->returns($out2);
-        }
-        if ($out3 instanceof \Exception) {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->throws($out3);
-        } elseif ($out4 instanceof \Exception) {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->returns($out3)->throws($out4);
-        } else {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->returns($out3)->returns($out4);
+            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->returns($out);
         }
         $this->assertMessage($exp, $this->req("POST", "/feeds", $in));
-        $in1 = $out1 !== null;
-        $in2 = $out2 !== null;
-        $in3 = $out3 !== null;
-        $in4 = $out4 !== null;
-        if ($in1) {
-            $this->dbMock->feedAdd->calledWith($in['feed_url'], $in['username'] ?? "", $in['password'] ?? "", false, $in['crawler'] ?? false);
-        } else {
-            $this->dbMock->feedAdd->never()->called();
-        }
-        if ($in2) {
-            $this->dbMock->begin->calledWith();
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->calledWith("john.doe@example.com", $in['feed_url'], $in['username'] ?? "", $in['password'] ?? "", false, $in['crawler'] ?? false);
-        } else {
-            $this->dbMock->begin->never()->called();
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->never()->called();
-        }
-        if ($in3) {
+        if ($out) {
             $props = [
                 'folder'     => $in['category_id'] - 1,
                 'scrape'     => $in['crawler'] ?? false,
-            ];
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->calledWith("john.doe@example.com", $out2, $props);
-            if (!$out3 instanceof \Exception) {
-                $this->transaction->commit->called();
-            }
-        } else {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->never()->called();
-        }
-        if ($in4) {
-            $rules = [
                 'keep_rule'  => $in['keeplist_rules'] ?? null,
                 'block_rule' => $in['blocklist_rules'] ?? null,
             ];
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->calledWith("john.doe@example.com", $out2, $rules);
+            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->calledWith("john.doe@example.com", $in['feed_url'], $in['username'] ?? "", $in['password'] ?? "", false, $props);
         } else {
-            $this->dbMock->subscriptionPropertiesSet->atMost(1)->called();
+            $this->dbMock->subscriptionAdd->never()->called();
         }
     }
 
     public function provideFeedCreations(): iterable {
         self::clearData();
         return [
-            [['category_id' => 1],                                                                null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["MissingInputValue", 'field' => "feed_url"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/"],                                               null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["MissingInputValue", 'field' => "category_id"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => "1"],                         null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["InvalidInputType", 'field' => "category_id", 'expected' => "integer", 'actual' => "string"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "Not a URL", 'category_id' => 1],                                     null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "feed_url"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 0],                           null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "category_id"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'keeplist_rules' => "["],  null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "keeplist_rules"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'blocklist_rules' => "["], null,                                       null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "blocklist_rules"], 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("internalError"),         null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("invalidCertificate"),    null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("invalidUrl"),            null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("Fetch404", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("maxRedirect"),           null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("maxSize"),               null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("timeout"),               null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("forbidden"),             null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("Fetch403", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("unauthorized"),          null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("Fetch401", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("transmissionError"),     null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("connectionFailed"),      null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("malformedXml"),          null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("xmlEntity"),             null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("subscriptionNotFound"),  null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("Fetch404", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("unsupportedFeedFormat"), null,                                      null,                            null, V1::respError("FetchFormat", 502)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           2112,                                       new ExceptionInput("constraintViolation"), null,                            null, V1::respError("DuplicateFeed", 409)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           2112,                                       44,                                        new ExceptionInput("idMissing"), null, V1::respError("MissingCategory", 422)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           2112,                                       44,                                        true,                            null, HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'keeplist_rules' => "^A"], 2112,                                       44,                                        true,                            true, HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
-            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'blocklist_rules' => "A"], 2112,                                       44,                                        true,                            true, HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
+            [['category_id' => 1],                                                                null,                                       V1::respError(["MissingInputValue", 'field' => "feed_url"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/"],                                               null,                                       V1::respError(["MissingInputValue", 'field' => "category_id"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => "1"],                         null,                                       V1::respError(["InvalidInputType", 'field' => "category_id", 'expected' => "integer", 'actual' => "string"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "Not a URL", 'category_id' => 1],                                     null,                                       V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "feed_url"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 0],                           null,                                       V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "category_id"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'keeplist_rules' => "["],  null,                                       V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "keeplist_rules"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'blocklist_rules' => "["], null,                                       V1::respError(["InvalidInputValue", 'field' => "blocklist_rules"], 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("internalError"),         V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("invalidCertificate"),    V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("invalidUrl"),            V1::respError("Fetch404", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("maxRedirect"),           V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("maxSize"),               V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("timeout"),               V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("forbidden"),             V1::respError("Fetch403", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("unauthorized"),          V1::respError("Fetch401", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("transmissionError"),     V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("connectionFailed"),      V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("malformedXml"),          V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("xmlEntity"),             V1::respError("FetchOther", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("subscriptionNotFound"),  V1::respError("Fetch404", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new FeedException("unsupportedFeedFormat"), V1::respError("FetchFormat", 502)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new ExceptionInput("constraintViolation"),  V1::respError("DuplicateFeed", 409)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           new ExceptionInput("idMissing"),            V1::respError("MissingCategory", 422)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1],                           44,                                         HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'crawler' => true],        44,                                         HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'keeplist_rules' => "^A"], 44,                                         HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
+            [['feed_url' => "http://example.com/", 'category_id' => 1, 'blocklist_rules' => "A"], 44,                                         HTTP::respJson(['feed_id' => 44], 201)],
         ];
     }