diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index d3fb03615..fc4ca41c8 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package pilosa
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/csv"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -322,13 +323,22 @@ func (api *API) ImportRoaring(ctx context.Context, indexName, fieldName string,
 					if len(viewData) == 0 {
 						return fmt.Errorf("no data to import for view: %s", viewName)
 					}
-					// must make a copy of data to operate on locally.
-					// field.importRoaring changes data
-					data := make([]byte, len(viewData))
-					copy(data, viewData)
-					err = field.importRoaring(data, shard, viewName, req.Clear)
-					if err != nil {
-						return err
+					fileMagic := uint32(binary.LittleEndian.Uint16(viewData[0:2]))
+					if fileMagic == roaring.MagicNumber { // if pilosa roaring format
+						err = field.importRoaring(viewData, shard, viewName, req.Clear)
+						if err != nil {
+							return errors.Wrap(err, "importing pilosa roaring")
+						}
+
+					} else {
+						// must make a copy of data to operate on locally on standard roaring format.
+						// field.importRoaring changes the standard roaring run format to pilosa roaring
+						data := make([]byte, len(viewData))
+						copy(data, viewData)
+						err = field.importRoaring(data, shard, viewName, req.Clear)
+						if err != nil {
+							return errors.Wrap(err, "importing standard roaring")
+						}
 					}
 				}
 				return err
diff --git a/roaring/roaring.go b/roaring/roaring.go
index abc4e4d2f..a34d9347e 100644
--- a/roaring/roaring.go
+++ b/roaring/roaring.go
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// magicNumber is an identifier, in bytes 0-1 of the file.
-	magicNumber = uint32(12348)
+	// MagicNumber is an identifier, in bytes 0-1 of the file.
+	MagicNumber = uint32(12348)
 
 	// storageVersion indicates the storage version, in bytes 2-3.
 	storageVersion = uint32(0)
 
 	// cookie is the first four bytes in a roaring bitmap file,
-	// formed by joining magicNumber and storageVersion
-	cookie = magicNumber + storageVersion<<16
+	// formed by joining MagicNumber and storageVersion
+	cookie = MagicNumber + storageVersion<<16
 
 	// headerBaseSize is the size in bytes of the cookie and key count at the
 	// beginning of a file.
@@ -935,10 +935,10 @@ func (b *Bitmap) unmarshalPilosaRoaring(data []byte) error {
 		return errors.New("data too small")
 	}
 
-	// Verify the first two bytes are a valid magicNumber, and second two bytes match current storageVersion.
+	// Verify the first two bytes are a valid MagicNumber, and second two bytes match current storageVersion.
 	fileMagic := uint32(binary.LittleEndian.Uint16(data[0:2]))
 	fileVersion := uint32(binary.LittleEndian.Uint16(data[2:4]))
-	if fileMagic != magicNumber {
+	if fileMagic != MagicNumber {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid roaring file, magic number %v is incorrect", fileMagic)
 	}
 
@@ -4020,7 +4020,7 @@ func (b *Bitmap) UnmarshalBinary(data []byte) error {
 	}
 	statsHit("Bitmap/UnmarshalBinary")
 	fileMagic := uint32(binary.LittleEndian.Uint16(data[0:2]))
-	if fileMagic == magicNumber { // if pilosa roaring
+	if fileMagic == MagicNumber { // if pilosa roaring
 		return errors.Wrap(b.unmarshalPilosaRoaring(data), "unmarshaling as pilosa roaring")
 	}