diff --git a/src/routes/settings.import.tsx b/src/routes/settings.import.tsx
index 49a7bc3..acea8bb 100644
--- a/src/routes/settings.import.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/settings.import.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ interface ImportCtx {
   caseByTitle: Map<string, string>;
   userByName: Map<string, string>;
   userByEmail: Map<string, string>;
+  // Set of case ids considered "active" (not closed, not archived)
+  activeCaseIds: Set<string>;
   // Optional fallback client id (e.g. for address-only locations CSV)
   defaultClientId?: string | null;
   // Selected contact group (for unified contacts importer)
@@ -414,7 +416,7 @@ const IMPORTERS: ImporterConfig[] = [
   {
     key: "time_entries",
     label: "Time entries → Time",
-    description: "Expected columns: Date, Case, Time, Rate, Flat rate, Total, Description, User, Case Name, Invoice, Nonbillable. Missing clients/cases are auto-created as archived. Rows with an Invoice number are linked to (or create) an invoice with that number; rows without an Invoice number stay unbilled.",
+    description: "Expected columns: Date, Case, Time, Rate, Flat rate, Total, Description, User, Case Name, Invoice, Nonbillable. Only rows matching an ACTIVE (non-archived, non-closed) case by case name/number are imported. Rows referencing missing, archived, or closed cases are skipped silently with a count.",
     table: "time_entries",
     conflict: "external_id",
     required: ["case_id", "description", "hours"],
@@ -444,8 +446,11 @@ const IMPORTERS: ImporterConfig[] = [
         (r._casenum && ctx.caseByNumber.get(String(r._casenum))) ||
         (r._casename && ctx.caseByTitle.get(String(r._casename).toLowerCase().trim())) ||
         null;
-      // NOTE: do NOT delete _caseext/_casenum/_casename here — async step needs them.
-      // NOTE: do NOT bail on missing case — async step will create one.
+      // Only accept active (non-archived, non-closed) cases.
+      if (r.case_id && !ctx.activeCaseIds.has(r.case_id)) {
+        r.case_id = null;
+      }
+      // NOTE: do NOT delete _caseext/_casenum/_casename here — pre-insert step needs them for skip reporting.
 
       // Resolve hours from "Time" (e.g. "1.5", "1:30", "01:30:00") if needed
       if (r.hours == null && r._time != null) {
@@ -510,7 +515,7 @@ const IMPORTERS: ImporterConfig[] = [
   {
     key: "expenses",
     label: "Expenses → Expenses",
-    description: "Case-related expenses. Missing clients/cases are auto-created as archived. Rows with an Invoice number are linked to (or create) an invoice with that number; rows without an Invoice number stay unbilled.",
+    description: "Case-related expenses. Only rows matching an ACTIVE (non-archived, non-closed) case are imported. Rows referencing missing, archived, or closed cases are skipped silently with a count.",
     table: "expenses",
     conflict: "external_id",
     required: ["case_id", "description", "amount"],
@@ -533,7 +538,11 @@ const IMPORTERS: ImporterConfig[] = [
         (r._casenum && ctx.caseByNumber.get(String(r._casenum))) ||
         (r._casename && ctx.caseByTitle.get(String(r._casename).toLowerCase().trim())) ||
         null;
-      // Keep hints; async pre-insert step may create an archived case.
+      // Only accept active (non-archived, non-closed) cases.
+      if (r.case_id && !ctx.activeCaseIds.has(r.case_id)) {
+        r.case_id = null;
+      }
+      // Keep hints; pre-insert step decides whether to skip.
       if (r.amount == null) return null;
       r.user_id = ctx.userId;
       return r;
@@ -664,6 +673,7 @@ function ImportPage() {
     caseByTitle: new Map(),
     userByName: new Map(),
     userByEmail: new Map(),
+    activeCaseIds: new Set(),
     defaultClientId: null,
     defaultContactType: null,
   }), [user?.id]);
@@ -737,14 +747,19 @@ function ImportPage() {
     ctx.caseByExt.clear();
     ctx.caseByNumber.clear();
     ctx.caseByTitle.clear();
-    const cases = await fetchAllPaginated<{ id: string; case_number: string | null; title: string | null; external_id: string | null }>(
+    ctx.activeCaseIds.clear();
+    const cases = await fetchAllPaginated<{ id: string; case_number: string | null; title: string | null; external_id: string | null; status: string | null; archived_at: string | null }>(
       "cases",
-      "id, case_number, title, external_id",
+      "id, case_number, title, external_id, status, archived_at",
     );
+    const CLOSED_STATUSES = new Set(["closed", "closed_won", "closed_lost"]);
     for (const r of cases) {
       if (r.external_id) ctx.caseByExt.set(r.external_id, r.id);
       if (r.case_number) ctx.caseByNumber.set(r.case_number, r.id);
       if (r.title) ctx.caseByTitle.set(r.title.toLowerCase().trim(), r.id);
+      if (!r.archived_at && !CLOSED_STATUSES.has(String(r.status ?? "").toLowerCase())) {
+        ctx.activeCaseIds.add(r.id);
+      }
     }
     ctx.userByName.clear();
     ctx.userByEmail.clear();
@@ -1009,6 +1024,13 @@ function ImportPage() {
         let clientId: string | null = null;
 
         if (!caseId) {
+          // For time entries / expenses, never auto-create cases.
+          // Skip silently and report a count by reason.
+          if (cfg.key === "time_entries" || cfg.key === "expenses") {
+            const hint = row._casename || row._casenum || row._caseext;
+            bumpSkip(hint ? "no matching active case" : "missing case reference");
+            continue;
+          }
           // Build display strings from hints
           const extId = row._caseext ? String(row._caseext) : null;
           const caseNum = row._casenum ? String(row._casenum).trim() : null;