diff --git a/proto/anki/import_export.proto b/proto/anki/import_export.proto
index 793338163..186a7ee61 100644
--- a/proto/anki/import_export.proto
+++ b/proto/anki/import_export.proto
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ message ImportCsvRequest {
   int64 notetype_id = 3;
   repeated CsvColumn columns = 4;
   uint32 delimiter = 5;
-  bool allow_html = 6;
+  bool is_html = 6;
 }
 
 message CsvMetadataRequest {
@@ -125,5 +125,5 @@ message CsvMetadata {
   repeated string columns = 3;
   int64 deck_id = 4;
   int64 notetype_id = 5;
-  optional bool html = 6;
+  optional bool is_html = 6;
 }
diff --git a/pylib/anki/collection.py b/pylib/anki/collection.py
index 3835266af..ea2cc049c 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/collection.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/collection.py
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ class Collection(DeprecatedNamesMixin):
         notetype_id: NotetypeId,
         columns: list[CsvColumn],
         delimiter: int,
-        allow_html: bool,
+        is_html: bool,
     ) -> ImportLogWithChanges:
         return self._backend.import_csv(
             path=path,
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class Collection(DeprecatedNamesMixin):
             notetype_id=notetype_id,
             delimiter=delimiter,
             columns=columns,
-            allow_html=allow_html,
+            is_html=is_html,
         )
 
     def import_json(self, json: str) -> ImportLogWithChanges:
diff --git a/qt/aqt/import_export/import_dialog.py b/qt/aqt/import_export/import_dialog.py
index c4f18bdc6..fa59fa00b 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/import_export/import_dialog.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/import_export/import_dialog.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class ImportDialog(QDialog):
         self.column_map = ColumnMap(self.columns, self.model)
         self._render_mapping()
         self._set_delimiter_button_text()
-        self.frm.allowHTML.setChecked(self.html)
+        self.frm.allowHTML.setChecked(self.is_html)
         self.frm.importMode.setCurrentIndex(self.mw.pm.profile.get("importMode", 1))
         self.frm.tagModified.setText(self.tags)
         self.frm.tagModified.setCol(self.mw.col)
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ class ImportDialog(QDialog):
         else:
             self.model = self.mw.col.models.current()
             self.notetype_id = self.model["id"]
-        if self.options.html is None:
-            self.html = self.mw.pm.profile.get("allowHTML", True)
+        if self.options.is_html is None:
+            self.is_html = self.mw.pm.profile.get("allowHTML", True)
         else:
-            self.html = self.options.html
+            self.is_html = self.options.is_html
 
     def _setup_choosers(self) -> None:
         import aqt.deckchooser
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class ImportDialog(QDialog):
                 notetype_id=self.model["id"],
                 delimiter=self.delimiter,
                 columns=self.column_map.csv_columns(),
-                allow_html=self.frm.allowHTML.isChecked(),
+                is_html=self.frm.allowHTML.isChecked(),
             ),
         ).with_backend_progress(import_progress_update).success(
             show_import_log
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/import_export.rs b/rslib/src/backend/import_export.rs
index 86c13e8ef..fbef8b473 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/import_export.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/import_export.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ impl ImportExportService for Backend {
                 input.notetype_id.into(),
                 input.columns.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
                 try_into_byte(input.delimiter)?,
-                //input.allow_html,
+                input.is_html,
             )
         })
         .map(Into::into)
diff --git a/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/import.rs b/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/import.rs
index 3f70552cf..40fcc559d 100644
--- a/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/import.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/import.rs
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ impl Collection {
         notetype_id: NotetypeId,
         columns: Vec<Column>,
         delimiter: u8,
-        //allow_html: bool,
+        is_html: bool,
     ) -> Result<OpOutput<NoteLog>> {
         let notetype = self.get_notetype(notetype_id)?.ok_or(AnkiError::NotFound)?;
         let fields_len = notetype.fields.len();
         let file = File::open(path)?;
-        let notes = deserialize_csv(file, &columns, fields_len, delimiter)?;
+        let notes = deserialize_csv(file, &columns, fields_len, delimiter, is_html)?;
 
         ForeignData {
             // TODO: refactor to allow passing ids directly
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ fn deserialize_csv(
     columns: &[Column],
     fields_len: usize,
     delimiter: u8,
+    is_html: bool,
 ) -> Result<Vec<ForeignNote>> {
     remove_tags_line_from_reader(&mut reader)?;
     let mut csv_reader = csv::ReaderBuilder::new()
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ fn deserialize_csv(
         .delimiter(delimiter)
         .trim(csv::Trim::All)
         .from_reader(reader);
-    deserialize_csv_reader(&mut csv_reader, columns, fields_len)
+    deserialize_csv_reader(&mut csv_reader, columns, fields_len, is_html)
 }
 
 /// If the reader's first line starts with "tags:", which is allowed for historic
@@ -78,35 +79,45 @@ fn deserialize_csv_reader(
     reader: &mut csv::Reader<impl Read>,
     columns: &[Column],
     fields_len: usize,
+    is_html: bool,
 ) -> Result<Vec<ForeignNote>> {
     reader
         .records()
         .into_iter()
         .map(|res| {
-            res.map(|record| ForeignNote::from_record(record, columns, fields_len))
+            res.map(|record| ForeignNote::from_record(record, columns, fields_len, is_html))
                 .map_err(Into::into)
         })
         .collect()
 }
 
 impl ForeignNote {
-    fn from_record(record: csv::StringRecord, columns: &[Column], fields_len: usize) -> Self {
+    fn from_record(
+        record: csv::StringRecord,
+        columns: &[Column],
+        fields_len: usize,
+        is_html: bool,
+    ) -> Self {
         let mut note = Self {
             fields: vec!["".to_string(); fields_len],
             ..Default::default()
         };
         for (&column, value) in columns.iter().zip(record.iter()) {
-            note.add_column_value(column, value);
+            note.add_column_value(column, value, is_html);
         }
         note
     }
 
-    fn add_column_value(&mut self, column: Column, value: &str) {
+    fn add_column_value(&mut self, column: Column, value: &str, is_html: bool) {
         match column {
             Column::Ignore => (),
             Column::Field(idx) => {
                 if let Some(field) = self.fields.get_mut(idx) {
-                    field.push_str(value)
+                    *field = if is_html {
+                        value.to_string()
+                    } else {
+                        htmlescape::encode_minimal(value)
+                    };
                 }
             }
             Column::Tags => self.tags.extend(value.split(' ').map(ToString::to_string)),
@@ -128,15 +139,11 @@ mod test {
                 &$options.columns,
                 $options.fields_len,
                 $options.delimiter,
+                $options.is_html,
             )
             .unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(notes.len(), $expected.len());
-            for (note, fields) in notes.iter().zip($expected.iter()) {
-                assert_eq!(note.fields.len(), fields.len());
-                for (note_field, field) in note.fields.iter().zip(fields.iter()) {
-                    assert_eq!(note_field, field);
-                }
-            }
+            let fields: Vec<_> = notes.into_iter().map(|note| note.fields).collect();
+            assert_eq!(fields, $expected);
         };
     }
 
@@ -144,6 +151,7 @@ mod test {
         columns: Vec<Column>,
         fields_len: usize,
         delimiter: u8,
+        is_html: bool,
     }
 
     impl CsvOptions {
@@ -152,6 +160,7 @@ mod test {
                 columns: vec![Column::Field(0), Column::Field(1)],
                 fields_len: 2,
                 delimiter: b',',
+                is_html: false,
             }
         }
 
@@ -174,6 +183,12 @@ mod test {
             self.delimiter = delimiter;
             self
         }
+
+        #[allow(clippy::wrong_self_convention)]
+        fn is_html(mut self, is_html: bool) -> Self {
+            self.is_html = is_html;
+            self
+        }
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -210,4 +225,11 @@ mod test {
         let options = CsvOptions::new();
         assert_imported_fields!(options, "#foo\nfront,back\n#bar\n", &[&["front", "back"]]);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_escape_html_entities_if_csv_is_html() {
+        assert_imported_fields!(CsvOptions::new(), "<hr>\n", &[&["&lt;hr&gt;", ""]]);
+        let with_html = CsvOptions::new().is_html(true);
+        assert_imported_fields!(with_html, "<hr>\n", &[&["<hr>", ""]]);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/metadata.rs b/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/metadata.rs
index 1bc951a4f..30f04386b 100644
--- a/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/metadata.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/import_export/text/csv/metadata.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ impl Collection {
                     metadata.notetype_id = nt.id.0;
                 }
             }
-            "html" => metadata.html = value.to_lowercase().parse::<bool>().ok(),
+            "is_html" => metadata.is_html = value.to_lowercase().parse::<bool>().ok(),
 
             _ => (),
         }
@@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ mod test {
     #[test]
     fn should_detect_valid_html_toggle() {
         let mut col = open_test_collection();
-        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#html:true\n").html, Some(true));
-        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#html:FALSE\n").html, Some(false));
-        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#html:maybe\n").html, None);
+        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#is_html:true\n").is_html, Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#is_html:FALSE\n").is_html, Some(false));
+        assert_eq!(metadata!(col, "#is_html:maybe\n").is_html, None);
     }
 
     #[test]