diff --git a/app/export.go b/app/export.go
index 0b681f8b1e..05e4d38910 100644
--- a/app/export.go
+++ b/app/export.go
@@ -610,6 +610,11 @@ func (a *App) exportAllDirectChannels(writer io.Writer) *model.AppError {
 		for _, channel := range channels {
 			afterId = channel.Id
 
+			// Skip if there are no active members in the channel
+			if len(*channel.Members) == 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			// Skip deleted.
 			if channel.DeleteAt != 0 {
 				continue
diff --git a/app/export_test.go b/app/export_test.go
index da514b8cda..9eda9d238c 100644
--- a/app/export_test.go
+++ b/app/export_test.go
@@ -218,38 +218,69 @@ func TestExportAllUsers(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestExportDMChannel(t *testing.T) {
-	th1 := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+	t.Run("Export a DM channel to another server", func(t *testing.T) {
+		th1 := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+		defer th1.TearDown()
 
-	// DM Channel
-	th1.CreateDmChannel(th1.BasicUser2)
+		// DM Channel
+		th1.CreateDmChannel(th1.BasicUser2)
 
-	var b bytes.Buffer
-	err := th1.App.BulkExport(&b, "somePath", BulkExportOpts{})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+		var b bytes.Buffer
+		err := th1.App.BulkExport(&b, "somePath", BulkExportOpts{})
+		require.Nil(t, err)
 
-	channels, nErr := th1.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
-	require.NoError(t, nErr)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(channels))
+		channels, nErr := th1.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
+		require.NoError(t, nErr)
+		assert.Equal(t, 1, len(channels))
 
-	th1.TearDown()
+		th2 := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+		defer th2.TearDown()
 
-	th2 := Setup(t)
-	defer th2.TearDown()
+		channels, nErr = th2.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
+		require.NoError(t, nErr)
+		assert.Equal(t, 0, len(channels))
 
-	channels, nErr = th2.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
-	require.NoError(t, nErr)
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(channels))
+		// import the exported channel
+		err, i := th2.App.BulkImport(&b, false, 5)
+		require.Nil(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, 0, i)
 
-	// import the exported channel
-	err, i := th2.App.BulkImport(&b, false, 5)
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, i)
+		// Ensure the Members of the imported DM channel is the same was from the exported
+		channels, nErr = th2.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
+		require.NoError(t, nErr)
+		require.Equal(t, 1, len(channels))
+		assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{th1.BasicUser.Username, th1.BasicUser2.Username}, *channels[0].Members)
+	})
 
-	// Ensure the Members of the imported DM channel is the same was from the exported
-	channels, nErr = th2.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
-	require.NoError(t, nErr)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(channels))
-	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{th1.BasicUser.Username, th1.BasicUser2.Username}, *channels[0].Members)
+	t.Run("Invalid DM channel export", func(t *testing.T) {
+		th1 := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+		defer th1.TearDown()
+
+		// DM Channel
+		th1.CreateDmChannel(th1.BasicUser2)
+
+		channels, nErr := th1.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
+		require.NoError(t, nErr)
+		assert.Equal(t, 1, len(channels))
+
+		th1.App.PermanentDeleteUser(th1.BasicUser2)
+		th1.App.PermanentDeleteUser(th1.BasicUser)
+
+		var b bytes.Buffer
+		err := th1.App.BulkExport(&b, "somePath", BulkExportOpts{})
+		require.Nil(t, err)
+
+		th2 := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+		defer th2.TearDown()
+
+		// import the exported channel
+		err, _ = th2.App.BulkImport(&b, true, 5)
+		require.Nil(t, err)
+
+		channels, nErr = th2.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllDirectChannelsForExportAfter(1000, "00000000")
+		require.NoError(t, nErr)
+		assert.Empty(t, channels)
+	})
 }
 
 func TestExportDMChannelToSelf(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/app/import.go b/app/import.go
index fd6a2233ef..5fd009e9cc 100644
--- a/app/import.go
+++ b/app/import.go
@@ -23,11 +23,16 @@ const (
 )
 
 func stopOnError(err LineImportWorkerError) bool {
-	if err.Error.Id == "api.file.upload_file.large_image.app_error" {
+	switch err.Error.Id {
+	case "api.file.upload_file.large_image.app_error":
 		mlog.Warn("Large image import error", mlog.Err(err.Error))
 		return false
+	case "app.import.validate_direct_channel_import_data.members_too_few.error", "app.import.validate_direct_channel_import_data.members_too_many.error":
+		mlog.Warn("Invalid direct channel import data", mlog.Err(err.Error))
+		return false
+	default:
+		return true
 	}
-	return true
 }
 
 func rewriteAttachmentPaths(files *[]AttachmentImportData, basePath string) {
diff --git a/app/import_test.go b/app/import_test.go
index 26bc81cfc6..384d0ccb2a 100644
--- a/app/import_test.go
+++ b/app/import_test.go
@@ -139,6 +139,16 @@ func TestStopOnError(t *testing.T) {
 		model.NewAppError("test", "api.file.upload_file.large_image.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest),
 		1,
 	}))
+
+	assert.False(t, stopOnError(LineImportWorkerError{
+		model.NewAppError("test", "app.import.validate_direct_channel_import_data.members_too_few.error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest),
+		1,
+	}))
+
+	assert.False(t, stopOnError(LineImportWorkerError{
+		model.NewAppError("test", "app.import.validate_direct_channel_import_data.members_too_many.error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest),
+		1,
+	}))
 }
 
 func TestImportBulkImport(t *testing.T) {