diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 799b6bf4d..01a0d5bd9 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -339,6 +339,22 @@ func (c *Client) Import(ctx context.Context, index, frame string, slice uint64,
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (c *Client) EnsureIndex(ctx context.Context, name string, options IndexOptions) error {
+	err := c.CreateIndex(ctx, name, options)
+	if err == nil || err == ErrIndexExists {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *Client) EnsureFrame(ctx context.Context, indexName string, frameName string, options FrameOptions) error {
+	err := c.CreateFrame(ctx, indexName, frameName, options)
+	if err == nil || err == ErrFrameExists {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 // MarshalImportPayload marshalls the import parameters into a protobuf byte slice.
 func MarshalImportPayload(index, frame string, slice uint64, bits []Bit) ([]byte, error) {
 	// Separate row and column IDs to reduce allocations.
diff --git a/cmd/import.go b/cmd/import.go
index 944b8b9e6..a4276efa3 100644
--- a/cmd/import.go
+++ b/cmd/import.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/ctl"
 )
 
@@ -49,12 +50,20 @@ omitted. If it is present then its format should be YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM.
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
+
 	flags := importCmd.Flags()
 	flags.StringVarP(&Importer.Host, "host", "", "localhost:10101", "host:port of Pilosa.")
 	flags.StringVarP(&Importer.Index, "index", "i", "", "Pilosa index to import into.")
 	flags.StringVarP(&Importer.Frame, "frame", "f", "", "Frame to import into.")
 	flags.IntVarP(&Importer.BufferSize, "buffer-size", "s", 10000000, "Number of bits to buffer/sort before importing.")
 	flags.BoolVarP(&Importer.Sort, "sort", "", false, "Enables sorting before import.")
+	flags.BoolVarP(&Importer.CreateSchema, "create", "e", false, "Create the schema if it does not exist before import.")
+	flags.Var(&Importer.IndexOptions.TimeQuantum, "index-time-quantum", "Time quantum for the index")
+	flags.Var(&Importer.FrameOptions.TimeQuantum, "frame-time-quantum", "Time quantum for the frame")
+	flags.BoolVar(&Importer.FrameOptions.InverseEnabled, "frame-inverse-enabled", false, "Enable inverse frame")
+	flags.BoolVar(&Importer.FrameOptions.RangeEnabled, "frame-range-enabled", false, "Enabled range encoded frame")
+	flags.StringVar(&Importer.FrameOptions.CacheType, "frame-cache-type", pilosa.CacheTypeRanked, "Cache type for the frame; valid values: none, lru, ranked")
+	flags.Uint32Var(&Importer.FrameOptions.CacheSize, "frame-cache-size", 50000, "Cache size for the frame")
 
 	return importCmd
 }
diff --git a/ctl/import.go b/ctl/import.go
index a12cb0d06..68fbff691 100644
--- a/ctl/import.go
+++ b/ctl/import.go
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ type ImportCommand struct {
 	Index string `json:"index"`
 	Frame string `json:"frame"`
 
+	// Options for index & frame to be created if they don't exist
+	IndexOptions pilosa.IndexOptions
+	FrameOptions pilosa.FrameOptions
+
+	// CreateSchema ensures the schema exists before import
+	CreateSchema bool
+
 	// Filenames to import from.
 	Paths []string `json:"paths"`
 
@@ -57,8 +64,7 @@ type ImportCommand struct {
 // NewImportCommand returns a new instance of ImportCommand.
 func NewImportCommand(stdin io.Reader, stdout, stderr io.Writer) *ImportCommand {
 	return &ImportCommand{
-		CmdIO: pilosa.NewCmdIO(stdin, stdout, stderr),
-
+		CmdIO:      pilosa.NewCmdIO(stdin, stdout, stderr),
 		BufferSize: 10000000,
 	}
 }
@@ -83,6 +89,13 @@ func (cmd *ImportCommand) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 	cmd.Client = client
 
+	if cmd.CreateSchema {
+		err := cmd.ensureSchema(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Import each path and import by slice.
 	for _, path := range cmd.Paths {
 		// Parse path into bits.
@@ -95,6 +108,18 @@ func (cmd *ImportCommand) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (cmd *ImportCommand) ensureSchema(ctx context.Context) error {
+	err := cmd.Client.EnsureIndex(ctx, cmd.Index, cmd.IndexOptions)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error Creating Index: %s", err)
+	}
+	err = cmd.Client.EnsureFrame(ctx, cmd.Index, cmd.Frame, cmd.FrameOptions)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error Creating Frame: %s", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // importPath parses a path into bits and imports it to the server.
 func (cmd *ImportCommand) importPath(ctx context.Context, path string) error {
 	a := make([]pilosa.Bit, 0, cmd.BufferSize)
diff --git a/ctl/import_test.go b/ctl/import_test.go
index dd9eba675..0023ad79a 100644
--- a/ctl/import_test.go
+++ b/ctl/import_test.go
@@ -71,11 +71,9 @@ func TestImportCommand_Run(t *testing.T) {
 	s.Handler.Holder = hldr.Holder
 	cm.Host = s.Host()
 
-	http.DefaultClient.Do(MustNewHTTPRequest("POST", s.URL+"/index/i", strings.NewReader("")))
-	http.DefaultClient.Do(MustNewHTTPRequest("POST", s.URL+"/index/i/frame/f", strings.NewReader("")))
-
 	cm.Index = "i"
 	cm.Frame = "f"
+	cm.CreateSchema = true
 	cm.Paths = []string{file.Name()}
 	err = cm.Run(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/time.go b/time.go
index ed6f62bf0..517292071 100644
--- a/time.go
+++ b/time.go
@@ -53,6 +53,23 @@ func (q TimeQuantum) Valid() bool {
 	}
 }
 
+// The following methods are required to implement pflag Value interface.
+
+// Set sets the time quantum value.
+func (q *TimeQuantum) Set(value string) error {
+	*q = TimeQuantum(value)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (q TimeQuantum) String() string {
+	return string(q)
+}
+
+// Type returns the type of a time quantum value.
+func (q TimeQuantum) Type() string {
+	return "TimeQuantum"
+}
+
 // ParseTimeQuantum parses v into a time quantum.
 func ParseTimeQuantum(v string) (TimeQuantum, error) {
 	q := TimeQuantum(strings.ToUpper(v))