diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolver.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolver.java
index 7f7cfff..74e2db6 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolver.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolver.java
@@ -153,11 +153,10 @@
                 .filePath(codeOwnerConfig.key().fileName().orElse("<default>"))
                 .build())) {
       logger.atFine().log("resolving path code owners for path %s", absolutePath);
+      PathCodeOwnersResult pathCodeOwnersResult =
+          pathCodeOwnersFactory.create(codeOwnerConfig, absolutePath).resolveCodeOwnerConfig();
       return resolve(
-          pathCodeOwnersFactory
-              .create(codeOwnerConfig, absolutePath)
-              .resolveCodeOwnerConfig()
-              .getPathCodeOwners());
+          pathCodeOwnersResult.getPathCodeOwners(), pathCodeOwnersResult.hasUnresolvedImports());
     }
   }
 
@@ -179,6 +178,19 @@
    * @see #resolve(CodeOwnerReference)
    */
   public CodeOwnerResolverResult resolve(Set<CodeOwnerReference> codeOwnerReferences) {
+    return resolve(codeOwnerReferences, /* hasUnresolvedImports= */ false);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Resolves the given {@link CodeOwnerReference}s to {@link CodeOwner}s.
+   *
+   * @param codeOwnerReferences the code owner references that should be resolved
+   * @param hasUnresolvedImports whether there are unresolved imports
+   * @return the {@link CodeOwner} for the given code owner references
+   * @see #resolve(CodeOwnerReference)
+   */
+  private CodeOwnerResolverResult resolve(
+      Set<CodeOwnerReference> codeOwnerReferences, boolean hasUnresolvedImports) {
     requireNonNull(codeOwnerReferences, "codeOwnerReferences");
     AtomicBoolean ownedByAllUsers = new AtomicBoolean(false);
     AtomicBoolean hasUnresolvedCodeOwners = new AtomicBoolean(false);
@@ -204,7 +216,7 @@
             .map(Optional::get)
             .collect(toImmutableSet());
     return CodeOwnerResolverResult.create(
-        codeOwners, ownedByAllUsers.get(), hasUnresolvedCodeOwners.get());
+        codeOwners, ownedByAllUsers.get(), hasUnresolvedCodeOwners.get(), hasUnresolvedImports);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolverResult.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolverResult.java
index 4d034c3..a03f0e1 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolverResult.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerResolverResult.java
@@ -46,12 +46,18 @@
   /** Whether there are code owner references which couldn't be resolved. */
   public abstract boolean hasUnresolvedCodeOwners();
 
+  /** Whether there are imports which couldn't be resolved. */
+  public abstract boolean hasUnresolvedImports();
+
   /**
    * Whether there are any code owners defined for the path, regardless of whether they can be
    * resolved or not.
    */
   public boolean hasRevelantCodeOwnerDefinitions() {
-    return !codeOwners().isEmpty() || ownedByAllUsers() || hasUnresolvedCodeOwners();
+    return !codeOwners().isEmpty()
+        || ownedByAllUsers()
+        || hasUnresolvedCodeOwners()
+        || hasUnresolvedImports();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -60,6 +66,7 @@
         .add("codeOwners", codeOwners())
         .add("ownedByAllUsers", ownedByAllUsers())
         .add("hasUnresolvedCodeOwners", hasUnresolvedCodeOwners())
+        .add("hasUnresolvedImports", hasUnresolvedImports())
         .toString();
   }
 
@@ -67,8 +74,9 @@
   public static CodeOwnerResolverResult create(
       ImmutableSet<CodeOwner> codeOwners,
       boolean ownedByAllUsers,
-      boolean hasUnresolvedCodeOwners) {
+      boolean hasUnresolvedCodeOwners,
+      boolean hasUnresolvedImports) {
     return new AutoValue_CodeOwnerResolverResult(
-        codeOwners, ownedByAllUsers, hasUnresolvedCodeOwners);
+        codeOwners, ownedByAllUsers, hasUnresolvedCodeOwners, hasUnresolvedImports);
   }
 }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
index 4e2e342..e087873 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
@@ -479,6 +479,189 @@
         .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void notApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfImportCannotBeResolved() throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .addImport(
+            CodeOwnerConfigReference.create(CodeOwnerConfigImportMode.ALL, "/non-existing/OWNERS"))
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.baz");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a fallback code owner as reviewer.
+    gApi.changes().id(changeId).addReviewer(user.email());
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a Code-Review+1 (= code owner approval) from a fallback code owner.
+    requestScopeOperations.setApiUser(user.id());
+    recommend(changeId);
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableImplicitApprovals", value = "true")
+  public void notImplicitlyApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfImportCannotBeResolved() throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .addImport(
+            CodeOwnerConfigReference.create(CodeOwnerConfigImportMode.ALL, "/non-existing/OWNERS"))
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.baz");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void notApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfPerFileImportCannotBeResolved() throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .addCodeOwnerSet(
+            CodeOwnerSet.builder()
+                .addPathExpression("*.md")
+                .addImport(
+                    CodeOwnerConfigReference.create(
+                        CodeOwnerConfigImportMode.GLOBAL_CODE_OWNER_SETS_ONLY, "/bar/OWNERS"))
+                .autoBuild())
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.md");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a fallback code owner as reviewer.
+    gApi.changes().id(changeId).addReviewer(user.email());
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a Code-Review+1 (= code owner approval) from a fallback code owner.
+    requestScopeOperations.setApiUser(user.id());
+    recommend(changeId);
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableImplicitApprovals", value = "true")
+  public void notImplicitlyApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfPerFileImportCannotBeResolved()
+      throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .addCodeOwnerSet(
+            CodeOwnerSet.builder()
+                .addPathExpression("*.md")
+                .addImport(
+                    CodeOwnerConfigReference.create(
+                        CodeOwnerConfigImportMode.GLOBAL_CODE_OWNER_SETS_ONLY, "/bar/OWNERS"))
+                .autoBuild())
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.md");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
   private ChangeNotes getChangeNotes(String changeId) throws Exception {
     return changeNotesFactory.create(project, Change.id(gApi.changes().id(changeId).get()._number));
   }
diff --git a/resources/Documentation/config.md b/resources/Documentation/config.md
index 9fd1aa5..6e62b51 100644
--- a/resources/Documentation/config.md
+++ b/resources/Documentation/config.md
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 :       Policy that controls who should own paths that have no code owners
         defined. This policy only applies if the inheritance of parent code
         owners hasn't been explicity disabled in a relevant code owner config
-        file.\
+        file and if there are no unresolved imports.\
         \
         Can be `NONE` or `ALL_USERS`.\
         \
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@
 :       Policy that controls who should own paths that have no code owners
         defined. This policy only applies if the inheritance of parent code
         owners hasn't been explicity disabled in a relevant code owner config
-        file.\
+        file and if there are no unresolved imports.\
         Can be `NONE` or `ALL_USERS` (see
         [plugin.@PLUGIN@.fallbackCodeOwners](#pluginCodeOwnersFallbackCodeOwners)
         for an explanation of these values).\