diff --git a/capnp-rpc/src/rpc.rs b/capnp-rpc/src/rpc.rs
index 2a8a35882..772a961da 100644
--- a/capnp-rpc/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/capnp-rpc/src/rpc.rs
@@ -302,8 +302,8 @@ pub struct Import<VatId>
 where
     VatId: 'static,
 {
-    // Becomes null when the import is destroyed.
-    import_client: Option<(Weak<RefCell<ImportClient<VatId>>>, usize)>,
+    // The usize is the numeric value of a raw pointer to the ImportClient.
+    import_client: (Weak<RefCell<ImportClient<VatId>>>, usize),
 
     // Either a copy of importClient, or, in the case of promises, the wrapping PromiseClient.
     // Becomes null when it is discarded *or* when the import is destroyed (e.g. the promise is
@@ -315,9 +315,12 @@ where
 }
 
 impl<VatId> Import<VatId> {
-    fn new() -> Self {
+    fn new(import_client: &Rc<RefCell<ImportClient<VatId>>>) -> Self {
         Self {
-            import_client: None,
+            import_client: (
+                Rc::downgrade(import_client),
+                &*import_client.borrow() as *const _ as _,
+            ),
             app_client: None,
             promise_client_to_resolve: None,
         }
@@ -1463,22 +1466,18 @@ impl<VatId> ConnectionState<VatId> {
         let connection_state = state.clone();
 
         let import_client = {
-            let slots = &mut state.imports.borrow_mut().slots;
-            let v = slots.entry(import_id).or_insert_with(Import::new);
-            if v.import_client.is_some() {
-                v.import_client
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .unwrap()
+            match state.imports.borrow_mut().slots.entry(import_id) {
+                std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Occupied(occ) => occ
+                    .get()
+                    .import_client
                     .0
                     .upgrade()
-                    .expect("dangling ref to import client?")
-            } else {
-                let import_client = ImportClient::new(&connection_state, import_id);
-                v.import_client = Some((
-                    Rc::downgrade(&import_client),
-                    (&*import_client.borrow()) as *const _ as usize,
-                ));
-                import_client
+                    .expect("dangling ref to import client?"),
+                std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(v) => {
+                    let import_client = ImportClient::new(&connection_state, import_id);
+                    v.insert(Import::new(&import_client));
+                    import_client
+                }
             }
         };
 
@@ -2605,10 +2604,9 @@ impl<VatId> Drop for ImportClient<VatId> {
         // Remove self from the import table, if the table is still pointing at us.
         let mut remove = false;
         if let Some(import) = connection_state.imports.borrow().slots.get(&self.import_id) {
-            if let Some((_, ptr)) = import.import_client {
-                if ptr == ((&*self) as *const _ as usize) {
-                    remove = true;
-                }
+            let (_, ptr) = import.import_client;
+            if ptr == ((&*self) as *const _ as usize) {
+                remove = true;
             }
         }