diff --git a/ghost/members-importer/lib/MembersCSVImporter.js b/ghost/members-importer/lib/MembersCSVImporter.js
index 66fc4e353c..2e65c7f618 100644
--- a/ghost/members-importer/lib/MembersCSVImporter.js
+++ b/ghost/members-importer/lib/MembersCSVImporter.js
@@ -138,11 +138,24 @@ module.exports = class MembersCSVImporter {
                 };
                 const existingMember = await membersRepository.get({email: memberValues.email}, {
                     ...options,
-                    withRelated: ['labels']
+                    withRelated: ['labels', 'newsletters']
                 });
                 let member;
                 if (existingMember) {
                     const existingLabels = existingMember.related('labels') ? existingMember.related('labels').toJSON() : [];
+                    const existingNewsletters = existingMember.related('newsletters');
+
+                    // Preserve member's existing newsletter subscription preferences
+                    if (existingNewsletters.length > 0 && memberValues.subscribed) {
+                        memberValues.newsletters = existingNewsletters.toJSON();
+                    }
+
+                    // If member does not have any subscriptions, assume they have previously unsubscribed
+                    // and do not re-subscribe them
+                    if (!existingNewsletters.length && memberValues.subscribed) {
+                        memberValues.subscribed = false;
+                    }
+
                     member = await membersRepository.update({
                         ...memberValues,
                         labels: existingLabels.concat(memberValues.labels)
diff --git a/ghost/members-importer/test/importer.test.js b/ghost/members-importer/test/importer.test.js
index 01bb45cf6e..093d3b927a 100644
--- a/ghost/members-importer/test/importer.test.js
+++ b/ghost/members-importer/test/importer.test.js
@@ -343,5 +343,89 @@ describe('Importer', function () {
             assert.equal(result.imported, 1);
             assert.equal(result.errors.length, 0);
         });
+
+        it ('respects existing member newsletter subscription preferences', async function () {
+            const importer = buildMockImporterInstance();
+
+            const newsletters = [
+                {id: 'newsletter_1'},
+                {id: 'newsletter_2'}
+            ];
+
+            const newslettersCollection = {
+                length: newsletters.length,
+                toJSON: sinon.stub().returns(newsletters)
+            };
+
+            const member = {
+                related: sinon.stub()
+            };
+
+            member.related.withArgs('labels').returns(null);
+            member.related.withArgs('newsletters').returns(newslettersCollection);
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get = sinon.stub();
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get
+                .withArgs({email: 'jbloggs@example.com'})
+                .resolves(member);
+
+            await importer.perform(`${csvPath}/subscribed-to-emails-header.csv`, defaultAllowedFields);
+
+            assert.deepEqual(membersRepositoryStub.update.args[0][0].newsletters, newsletters);
+        });
+
+        it ('does not add subscriptions for existing member when they do not have any subscriptions', async function () {
+            const importer = buildMockImporterInstance();
+
+            const member = {
+                related: sinon.stub()
+            };
+
+            member.related.withArgs('labels').returns(null);
+            member.related.withArgs('newsletters').returns({length: 0});
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get = sinon.stub();
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get
+                .withArgs({email: 'jbloggs@example.com'})
+                .resolves(member);
+
+            await importer.perform(`${csvPath}/subscribed-to-emails-header.csv`, defaultAllowedFields);
+
+            assert.deepEqual(membersRepositoryStub.update.args[0][0].subscribed, false);
+        });
+
+        it ('removes existing member newsletter subscriptions when set to not be subscribed', async function () {
+            const importer = buildMockImporterInstance();
+
+            const newsletters = [
+                {id: 'newsletter_1'},
+                {id: 'newsletter_2'}
+            ];
+
+            const newslettersCollection = {
+                length: newsletters.length,
+                toJSON: sinon.stub().returns(newsletters)
+            };
+
+            const member = {
+                related: sinon.stub()
+            };
+
+            member.related.withArgs('labels').returns(null);
+            member.related.withArgs('newsletters').returns(newslettersCollection);
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get = sinon.stub();
+
+            membersRepositoryStub.get
+                .withArgs({email: 'test@example.com'})
+                .resolves(member);
+
+            await importer.perform(`${csvPath}/subscribed-to-emails-header.csv`, defaultAllowedFields);
+
+            assert.equal(membersRepositoryStub.update.args[0][0].subscribed, false);
+            assert.equal(membersRepositoryStub.update.args[0][0].newsletters, undefined);
+        });
     });
 });