diff --git a/routes/memory_routes.py b/routes/memory_routes.py
index c2b6968..d243b99 100644
--- a/routes/memory_routes.py
+++ b/routes/memory_routes.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from core.database import SessionLocal
 from src.llm_core import llm_call_async
 from services.memory.memory_extractor import audit_memories
 from src.auth_helpers import get_current_user
+from src.endpoint_resolver import resolve_endpoint
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -313,16 +314,30 @@ def setup_memory_routes(memory_manager: MemoryManager, session_manager: SessionM
     @router.post("/import")
     async def import_memories_from_file(
         request: Request,
-        session: str = Form(...),
+        session: str | None = Form(None),
         file: UploadFile = File(...)
     ):
         """Extract memory suggestions from an uploaded file (PDF, TXT, MD, etc.)."""
         from src.auth_helpers import require_privilege
         require_privilege(request, "can_manage_memory")
-        try:
-            sess = session_manager.get_session(session)
-        except KeyError:
-            raise HTTPException(404, "Session not found — needed for LLM config")
+
+        endpoint_url = None
+        model = None
+        headers = {}
+
+        if session:
+            try:
+                sess = session_manager.get_session(session)
+                endpoint_url = sess.endpoint_url
+                model = sess.model
+                headers = sess.headers
+            except KeyError:
+                 raise HTTPException(404, "Session not found — needed for LLM config")
+        else:
+            endpoint_url, model, headers = resolve_endpoint("utility", owner=_owner(request))
+    
+        if not endpoint_url or not model:
+            raise HTTPException(400, "No LLM model configured. Set a default model in Settings.")
 
         # Read file content
         content = await file.read()
@@ -404,15 +419,15 @@ def setup_memory_routes(memory_manager: MemoryManager, session_manager: SessionM
 
         try:
             raw = await llm_call_async(
-                sess.endpoint_url,
-                sess.model,
+                endpoint_url,
+                model,
                 [
                     {"role": "system", "content": import_prompt},
                     {"role": "user", "content": f"Document: {filename}\n\n{text}"},
                 ],
                 temperature=0.2,
                 max_tokens=2000,
-                headers=sess.headers,
+                headers=headers,
             )
 
             # Parse JSON
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index e9889dd..8b232f2 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@
               <input type="file" id="memory-import-file" accept=".txt,.md,.pdf,.csv,.log,.json,.py,.js,.html" hidden />
             </div>
             <p class="memory-desc doclib-desc" style="margin:4px 0 6px;">
-              Import a <code>.txt</code>, <code>.md</code>, <code>.pdf</code>, <code>.csv</code>, <code>.log</code>, <code>.json</code>, <code>.py</code>, <code>.js</code>, or <code>.html</code> file &mdash; the AI reads it and suggests candidate memories you can approve. Needs an open chat session (it uses that session's model).
+              Import a <code>.txt</code>, <code>.md</code>, <code>.pdf</code>, <code>.csv</code>, <code>.log</code>, <code>.json</code>, <code>.py</code>, <code>.js</code>, or <code>.html</code> file &mdash; the AI reads it and suggests candidate memories you can approve.
             </p>
             <div class="memory-add-row" style="margin-top:8px;">
               <div class="skill-ph-wrap" style="flex:1;min-width:0;">
@@ -1390,7 +1390,7 @@
           </div>
           <div class="admin-card">
             <h2 style="display:flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;"><svg width="14" height="14" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" style="margin-right:1px;opacity:0.6;flex-shrink:0"><path d="M14.7 6.3a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.4l1.6 1.6a1 1 0 0 0 1.4 0l3.77-3.77a6 6 0 0 1-7.94 7.94l-6.91 6.91a2.12 2.12 0 0 1-3-3l6.91-6.91a6 6 0 0 1 7.94-7.94l-3.76 3.76z"/></svg>Utility Model <span style="font-size:0.72em;opacity:0.55;font-weight:normal;">(Recommended: Local Endpoint)</span></h2>
-            <div class="admin-toggle-sub" style="margin-bottom:8px">Runs background tasks (compaction, cleanup, auto-naming) on a small/local model instead of your chat model. Leave blank to use the chat model.</div>
+            <div class="admin-toggle-sub" style="margin-bottom:8px">Runs background tasks (compaction, cleanup, auto-naming, retrieving memories from files) on a small/local model instead of your chat model. Leave blank to use the chat model.</div>
             <div class="settings-col">
               <div class="settings-row">
                 <label class="settings-label">Endpoint</label>
diff --git a/static/js/memory.js b/static/js/memory.js
index bb3fa2e..e0f064e 100644
--- a/static/js/memory.js
+++ b/static/js/memory.js
@@ -1160,10 +1160,6 @@ async function handleImportFile(file) {
   if (!file) return;
 
   const sessionId = sessionModule?.getCurrentSessionId?.();
-  if (!sessionId) {
-    showError('Open a session first — import needs an AI model');
-    return;
-  }
 
   const importBtn = document.getElementById('memory-import-btn');
   const _origImportHtml = importBtn ? importBtn.innerHTML : '';
@@ -1180,7 +1176,9 @@ async function handleImportFile(file) {
   try {
     const formData = new FormData();
     formData.append('file', file);
-    formData.append('session', sessionId);
+    if (sessionId) {
+        formData.append('session', sessionId);
+    }
 
     const res = await fetch(`${window.location.origin}/api/memory/import`, {
       method: 'POST',