diff --git a/packages/backend/src/services/import.test.ts b/packages/backend/src/services/import.test.ts
index f59f714..86c57a6 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/services/import.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/services/import.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import * as XLSX from 'xlsx';
 import { makeTestDb, createUserDirect, createLessonOwnedBy } from '../tests/dbHelper.js';
 import { importCardsFromBuffer, exportCardsToBuffer } from './import.js';
 import { listCardsByLesson } from './cards.js';
+import { getLessonTree } from './lessons.js';
 
 let env: ReturnType<typeof makeTestDb>;
 let owner: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createUserDirect>>;
@@ -50,6 +51,35 @@ describe('excel import', () => {
     expect(cards[0]!.answer).toBe('b');
   });
 
+  it('nests lesson_path under the started lesson, owned by the user, visible in the tree', async () => {
+    // Regression: previously auto-created lessons had no owner_id and were invisible,
+    // and lesson_path was resolved at root instead of under the started lesson.
+    const home = await createLessonOwnedBy(env.db, owner.id, { name: 'Nederlands' });
+    const buf = buildXlsx([
+      { question: 'aanvankelijk', answer: 'eerst', lesson_path: '/Thema: Schooltaal' },
+      { question: 'achterhalen', answer: 'vinden', lesson_path: '/Thema: Schooltaal' },
+    ]);
+    const result = await importCardsFromBuffer(env.db, owner.id, home.id, buf, { updateExisting: true, createMissingLessons: true });
+    expect(result.inserted).toBe(2);
+    expect(result.errors).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    const tree = await getLessonTree(env.db, owner.id);
+    expect(tree).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(tree[0]!.name).toBe('Nederlands');
+    const child = tree[0]!.children.find((c) => c.name === 'Thema: Schooltaal');
+    expect(child).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(child!.ownerId).toBe(owner.id);
+    expect(await listCardsByLesson(env.db, owner.id, child!.id)).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses lesson_path when createMissingLessons is false and path does not exist', async () => {
+    const home = await createLessonOwnedBy(env.db, owner.id, { name: 'Home' });
+    const buf = buildXlsx([{ question: 'q', answer: 'a', lesson_path: 'Nieuw' }]);
+    const result = await importCardsFromBuffer(env.db, owner.id, home.id, buf, { updateExisting: true, createMissingLessons: false });
+    expect(result.inserted).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.errors).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
   it('exports a buffer that round-trips back via import', async () => {
     const l = await createLessonOwnedBy(env.db, owner.id, { name: 'L' });
     await importCardsFromBuffer(env.db, owner.id, l.id, buildXlsx([{ question: 'q', answer: 'a' }]), { updateExisting: true, createMissingLessons: false });
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/services/import.ts b/packages/backend/src/services/import.ts
index 849e25d..b73c9ff 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/services/import.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/services/import.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import { and, eq, inArray, isNull } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { and, eq, inArray } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import * as XLSX from 'xlsx';
 import type { Db } from '../db/client.js';
-import { cardProgress, cards, lessons } from '../db/schema.js';
+import { cards, lessons } from '../db/schema.js';
 import { getDescendantLessonIds } from './lessons.js';
 import { canEditLesson, canReadLesson } from './permissions.js';
 import { ApiError } from '../lib/errors.js';
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ function nowSec() { return Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000); }
 
 async function resolveLesson(
   db: Db,
+  userId: number,
   defaultLessonId: number,
   lessonPath: string | undefined,
   createMissing: boolean
@@ -43,14 +44,19 @@ async function resolveLesson(
   if (!lessonPath || lessonPath.trim() === '') return defaultLessonId;
   const parts = lessonPath.split('/').map((s) => s.trim()).filter(Boolean);
   if (parts.length === 0) return defaultLessonId;
-  let parentId: number | null = null;
+  // lesson_path is resolved RELATIVE to the lesson the import was started from:
+  // each segment becomes a sublesson under it (created on demand, owned by the user).
+  let parentId: number = defaultLessonId;
   for (const name of parts) {
-    const found: typeof lessons.$inferSelect | undefined = parentId === null
-      ? db.select().from(lessons).where(and(eq(lessons.name, name), isNull(lessons.parentId))).get()
-      : db.select().from(lessons).where(and(eq(lessons.name, name), eq(lessons.parentId, parentId))).get();
+    const found = db.select().from(lessons)
+      .where(and(eq(lessons.name, name), eq(lessons.parentId, parentId), eq(lessons.ownerId, userId)))
+      .get();
     if (found) { parentId = found.id; continue; }
     if (!createMissing) return null;
-    const [row] = db.insert(lessons).values({ name, parentId, position: 0 }).returning().all();
+    const [row] = db.insert(lessons).values({
+      name, parentId, position: 0,
+      ownerId: userId, visibility: 'private', isCurated: false,
+    }).returning().all();
     parentId = row!.id;
   }
   return parentId;
@@ -73,7 +79,7 @@ export async function importCardsFromBuffer(
       result.errors.push({ row: rowNum, message: 'question and answer are required' });
       continue;
     }
-    const targetLessonId = await resolveLesson(db, defaultLessonId, row.lesson_path, opts.createMissingLessons);
+    const targetLessonId = await resolveLesson(db, userId, defaultLessonId, row.lesson_path, opts.createMissingLessons);
     if (targetLessonId === null) {
       result.errors.push({ row: rowNum, message: `lesson_path not found: ${row.lesson_path}` });
       continue;
@@ -87,12 +93,7 @@ export async function importCardsFromBuffer(
     } else {
       const positions = db.select({ pos: cards.position }).from(cards).where(eq(cards.lessonId, targetLessonId)).all();
       const position = positions.length === 0 ? 0 : Math.max(...positions.map((p) => p.pos)) + 1;
-      const [inserted] = db.insert(cards).values({ lessonId: targetLessonId, question: q, answer: a, hint, position }).returning().all();
-      db.insert(cardProgress).values({ cardId: inserted!.id, direction: 'forward', box: 1, nextDueAt: 0 }).run();
-      const lesson = db.select().from(lessons).where(eq(lessons.id, targetLessonId)).get();
-      if (lesson?.bidirectional) {
-        db.insert(cardProgress).values({ cardId: inserted!.id, direction: 'backward', box: 1, nextDueAt: 0 }).run();
-      }
+      db.insert(cards).values({ lessonId: targetLessonId, question: q, answer: a, hint, position }).run();
       result.inserted += 1;
     }
   }