diff --git a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
index 3d64cab84e..3a35568f8f 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
+++ b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <Import Project="..\osu.Game.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Project">
     <TargetFrameworks>net471;netcoreapp2.0</TargetFrameworks>
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Win32.Registry" Version="4.4.0" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup Label="Package References">
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite" Version="2.0.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite" Version="2.0.3" />
     <PackageReference Include="squirrel.windows" Version="1.8.0" Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' == 'net471'" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup Label="Resources">
     <EmbeddedResource Include="lazer.ico" />
   </ItemGroup>
-</Project>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Beatmaps/IO/ImportBeatmapTest.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Beatmaps/IO/ImportBeatmapTest.cs
index f60caf2397..586217a05f 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Beatmaps/IO/ImportBeatmapTest.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Beatmaps/IO/ImportBeatmapTest.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using osu.Framework.Platform;
 using osu.Game.IPC;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
+using SharpCompress.Archives.Zip;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
 {
@@ -77,8 +78,69 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
 
                     var manager = osu.Dependencies.Get<BeatmapManager>();
 
-                    Assert.IsTrue(manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count == 1);
-                    Assert.IsTrue(manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count == 1);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count);
+                }
+                finally
+                {
+                    host.Exit();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void TestRollbackOnFailure()
+        {
+            //unfortunately for the time being we need to reference osu.Framework.Desktop for a game host here.
+            using (HeadlessGameHost host = new CleanRunHeadlessGameHost("TestRollbackOnFailure"))
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    var osu = loadOsu(host);
+                    var manager = osu.Dependencies.Get<BeatmapManager>();
+
+                    int fireCount = 0;
+
+                    // ReSharper disable once AccessToModifiedClosure
+                    manager.ItemAdded += _ => fireCount++;
+                    manager.ItemRemoved += _ => fireCount++;
+
+                    var imported = loadOszIntoOsu(osu);
+
+                    Assert.AreEqual(0, fireCount -= 1);
+
+                    imported.Hash += "-changed";
+                    manager.Update(imported);
+
+                    Assert.AreEqual(0, fireCount -= 2);
+
+                    var breakTemp = createTemporaryBeatmap();
+
+                    MemoryStream brokenOsu = new MemoryStream(new byte[] { 1, 3, 3, 7 });
+                    MemoryStream brokenOsz = new MemoryStream(File.ReadAllBytes(breakTemp));
+
+                    File.Delete(breakTemp);
+
+                    using (var outStream = File.Open(breakTemp, FileMode.CreateNew))
+                    using (var zip = ZipArchive.Open(brokenOsz))
+                    {
+                        zip.AddEntry("broken.osu", brokenOsu, false);
+                        zip.SaveTo(outStream, SharpCompress.Common.CompressionType.Deflate);
+                    }
+
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(12, manager.QueryBeatmaps(_ => true).ToList().Count);
+
+                    // this will trigger purging of the existing beatmap (online set id match) but should rollback due to broken osu.
+                    manager.Import(breakTemp);
+
+                    // no events should be fired in the case of a rollback.
+                    Assert.AreEqual(0, fireCount);
+
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(12, manager.QueryBeatmaps(_ => true).ToList().Count);
                 }
                 finally
                 {
@@ -100,18 +162,17 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
 
                     var imported = loadOszIntoOsu(osu);
 
-                    //var change = manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).First();
                     imported.Hash += "-changed";
                     manager.Update(imported);
 
                     var importedSecondTime = loadOszIntoOsu(osu);
 
-                    // check the newly "imported" beatmap is actually just the restored previous import. since it matches hash.
                     Assert.IsTrue(imported.ID != importedSecondTime.ID);
                     Assert.IsTrue(imported.Beatmaps.First().ID < importedSecondTime.Beatmaps.First().ID);
 
-                    Assert.IsTrue(manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count == 1);
-                    Assert.IsTrue(manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count == 1);
+                    // only one beatmap will exist as the online set ID matched, causing purging of the first import.
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count);
+                    Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count);
                 }
                 finally
                 {
@@ -162,8 +223,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
 
                     var osu = loadOsu(host);
 
-                    var temp = prepareTempCopy(osz_path);
-                    Assert.IsTrue(File.Exists(temp));
+                    var temp = createTemporaryBeatmap();
 
                     var importer = new ArchiveImportIPCChannel(client);
                     if (!importer.ImportAsync(temp).Wait(10000))
@@ -188,8 +248,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
                 try
                 {
                     var osu = loadOsu(host);
-                    var temp = prepareTempCopy(osz_path);
-                    Assert.IsTrue(File.Exists(temp), "Temporary file copy never substantiated");
+                    var temp = createTemporaryBeatmap();
                     using (File.OpenRead(temp))
                         osu.Dependencies.Get<BeatmapManager>().Import(temp);
                     ensureLoaded(osu);
@@ -203,11 +262,16 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
             }
         }
 
-        private BeatmapSetInfo loadOszIntoOsu(OsuGameBase osu)
+        private string createTemporaryBeatmap()
         {
-            var temp = prepareTempCopy(osz_path);
-
+            var temp = new FileInfo(osz_path).CopyTo(Path.GetTempFileName(), true).FullName;
             Assert.IsTrue(File.Exists(temp));
+            return temp;
+        }
+
+        private BeatmapSetInfo loadOszIntoOsu(OsuGameBase osu, string path = null)
+        {
+            var temp = path ?? createTemporaryBeatmap();
 
             var manager = osu.Dependencies.Get<BeatmapManager>();
 
@@ -219,7 +283,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
 
             waitForOrAssert(() => !File.Exists(temp), "Temporary file still exists after standard import", 5000);
 
-            return imported.FirstOrDefault();
+            return imported.LastOrDefault();
         }
 
         private void deleteBeatmapSet(BeatmapSetInfo imported, OsuGameBase osu)
@@ -228,16 +292,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps.IO
             manager.Delete(imported);
 
             Assert.IsTrue(manager.GetAllUsableBeatmapSets().Count == 0);
-            Assert.IsTrue(manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count == 1);
+            Assert.AreEqual(1, manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).ToList().Count);
             Assert.IsTrue(manager.QueryBeatmapSets(_ => true).First().DeletePending);
         }
 
-        private string prepareTempCopy(string path)
-        {
-            var temp = Path.GetTempFileName();
-            return new FileInfo(path).CopyTo(temp, true).FullName;
-        }
-
         private OsuGameBase loadOsu(GameHost host)
         {
             var osu = new OsuGameBase();
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs b/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
index e04559d547..1505ac0549 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/ArchiveModelManager.cs
@@ -56,13 +56,49 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         // ReSharper disable once NotAccessedField.Local (we should keep a reference to this so it is not finalised)
         private ArchiveImportIPCChannel ipc;
 
+        private readonly List<Action> cachedEvents = new List<Action>();
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Allows delaying of outwards events until an operation is confirmed (at a database level).
+        /// </summary>
+        private bool delayingEvents;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Begin delaying outwards events.
+        /// </summary>
+        private void delayEvents() => delayingEvents = true;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Flush delayed events and disable delaying.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="perform">Whether the flushed events should be performed.</param>
+        private void flushEvents(bool perform)
+        {
+            if (perform)
+            {
+                foreach (var a in cachedEvents)
+                    a.Invoke();
+            }
+
+            cachedEvents.Clear();
+            delayingEvents = false;
+        }
+
+        private void handleEvent(Action a)
+        {
+            if (delayingEvents)
+                cachedEvents.Add(a);
+            else
+                a.Invoke();
+        }
+
         protected ArchiveModelManager(Storage storage, IDatabaseContextFactory contextFactory, MutableDatabaseBackedStore<TModel> modelStore, IIpcHost importHost = null)
         {
             ContextFactory = contextFactory;
 
             ModelStore = modelStore;
-            ModelStore.ItemAdded += s => ItemAdded?.Invoke(s);
-            ModelStore.ItemRemoved += s => ItemRemoved?.Invoke(s);
+            ModelStore.ItemAdded += s => handleEvent(() => ItemAdded?.Invoke(s));
+            ModelStore.ItemRemoved += s => handleEvent(() => ItemRemoved?.Invoke(s));
 
             Files = new FileStore(contextFactory, storage);
 
@@ -138,24 +174,50 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="archive">The archive to be imported.</param>
         public TModel Import(ArchiveReader archive)
         {
-            using (ContextFactory.GetForWrite()) // used to share a context for full import. keep in mind this will block all writes.
+            TModel item = null;
+            delayEvents();
+
+            try
             {
-                // create a new model (don't yet add to database)
-                var item = CreateModel(archive);
+                using (var write = ContextFactory.GetForWrite()) // used to share a context for full import. keep in mind this will block all writes.
+                {
+                    try
+                    {
+                        if (!write.IsTransactionLeader) throw new InvalidOperationException($"Ensure there is no parent transaction so errors can correctly be handled by {this}");
 
-                var existing = CheckForExisting(item);
+                        // create a new model (don't yet add to database)
+                        item = CreateModel(archive);
 
-                if (existing != null) return existing;
+                        var existing = CheckForExisting(item);
 
-                item.Files = createFileInfos(archive, Files);
+                        if (existing != null) return existing;
 
-                Populate(item, archive);
+                        item.Files = createFileInfos(archive, Files);
 
-                // import to store
-                ModelStore.Add(item);
+                        Populate(item, archive);
 
-                return item;
+                        // import to store
+                        ModelStore.Add(item);
+                    }
+                    catch (Exception e)
+                    {
+                        write.Errors.Add(e);
+                        throw;
+                    }
+                }
             }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Logger.Error(e, $"Import of {archive.Name} failed and has been rolled back.", LoggingTarget.Database);
+                item = null;
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                // we only want to flush events after we've confirmed the write context didn't have any errors.
+                flushEvents(item != null);
+            }
+
+            return item;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -178,12 +240,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="item">The item to delete.</param>
         public void Delete(TModel item)
         {
-            using (var usage = ContextFactory.GetForWrite())
+            using (ContextFactory.GetForWrite())
             {
-                var context = usage.Context;
-
-                context.ChangeTracker.AutoDetectChangesEnabled = false;
-
                 // re-fetch the model on the import context.
                 var foundModel = queryModel().Include(s => s.Files).ThenInclude(f => f.FileInfo).First(s => s.ID == item.ID);
 
@@ -191,8 +249,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 
                 if (ModelStore.Delete(foundModel))
                     Files.Dereference(foundModel.Files.Select(f => f.FileInfo).ToArray());
-
-                context.ChangeTracker.AutoDetectChangesEnabled = true;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
index 71960303b5..a1d371f431 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2007-2018 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage;
 using osu.Framework.Platform;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Database
@@ -17,8 +19,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         private readonly object writeLock = new object();
 
         private bool currentWriteDidWrite;
+        private bool currentWriteDidError;
+
         private int currentWriteUsages;
 
+        private IDbContextTransaction currentWriteTransaction;
+
         public DatabaseContextFactory(GameHost host)
         {
             this.host = host;
@@ -35,14 +41,25 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// Request a context for write usage. Can be consumed in a nested fashion (and will return the same underlying context).
         /// This method may block if a write is already active on a different thread.
         /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="withTransaction">Whether to start a transaction for this write.</param>
         /// <returns>A usage containing a usable context.</returns>
-        public DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite()
+        public DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite(bool withTransaction = true)
         {
             Monitor.Enter(writeLock);
 
+            if (currentWriteTransaction == null && withTransaction)
+            {
+                // this mitigates the fact that changes on tracked entities will not be rolled back with the transaction by ensuring write operations are always executed in isolated contexts.
+                // if this results in sub-optimal efficiency, we may need to look into removing Database-level transactions in favour of running SaveChanges where we currently commit the transaction.
+                if (threadContexts.IsValueCreated)
+                    recycleThreadContexts();
+
+                currentWriteTransaction = threadContexts.Value.Database.BeginTransaction();
+            }
+
             Interlocked.Increment(ref currentWriteUsages);
 
-            return new DatabaseWriteUsage(threadContexts.Value, usageCompleted);
+            return new DatabaseWriteUsage(threadContexts.Value, usageCompleted) { IsTransactionLeader = currentWriteTransaction != null && currentWriteUsages == 1 };
         }
 
         private void usageCompleted(DatabaseWriteUsage usage)
@@ -52,18 +69,27 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
             try
             {
                 currentWriteDidWrite |= usage.PerformedWrite;
+                currentWriteDidError |= usage.Errors.Any();
 
-                if (usages > 0) return;
-
-                if (currentWriteDidWrite)
+                if (usages == 0)
                 {
-                    // explicitly dispose to ensure any outstanding flushes happen as soon as possible (and underlying resources are purged).
-                    usage.Context.Dispose();
+                    if (currentWriteDidError)
+                        currentWriteTransaction?.Rollback();
+                    else
+                        currentWriteTransaction?.Commit();
 
+                    if (currentWriteDidWrite || currentWriteDidError)
+                    {
+                        // explicitly dispose to ensure any outstanding flushes happen as soon as possible (and underlying resources are purged).
+                        usage.Context.Dispose();
+
+                        // once all writes are complete, we want to refresh thread-specific contexts to make sure they don't have stale local caches.
+                        recycleThreadContexts();
+                    }
+
+                    currentWriteTransaction = null;
                     currentWriteDidWrite = false;
-
-                    // once all writes are complete, we want to refresh thread-specific contexts to make sure they don't have stale local caches.
-                    recycleThreadContexts();
+                    currentWriteDidError = false;
                 }
             }
             finally
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWriteUsage.cs b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWriteUsage.cs
index 7858c1a0d1..64ab24e824 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWriteUsage.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWriteUsage.cs
@@ -2,34 +2,50 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
 using System;
-using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Database
 {
     public class DatabaseWriteUsage : IDisposable
     {
         public readonly OsuDbContext Context;
-        private readonly IDbContextTransaction transaction;
         private readonly Action<DatabaseWriteUsage> usageCompleted;
 
         public DatabaseWriteUsage(OsuDbContext context, Action<DatabaseWriteUsage> onCompleted)
         {
             Context = context;
-            transaction = Context.BeginTransaction();
             usageCompleted = onCompleted;
         }
 
         public bool PerformedWrite { get; private set; }
 
         private bool isDisposed;
+        public List<Exception> Errors = new List<Exception>();
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether this write usage will commit a transaction on completion.
+        /// If false, there is a parent usage responsible for transaction commit.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool IsTransactionLeader = false;
 
         protected void Dispose(bool disposing)
         {
             if (isDisposed) return;
             isDisposed = true;
 
-            PerformedWrite |= Context.SaveChanges(transaction) > 0;
-            usageCompleted?.Invoke(this);
+            try
+            {
+                PerformedWrite |= Context.SaveChanges() > 0;
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Errors.Add(e);
+                throw;
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                usageCompleted?.Invoke(this);
+            }
         }
 
         public void Dispose()
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/IDatabaseContextFactory.cs b/osu.Game/Database/IDatabaseContextFactory.cs
index 372e1770e4..d38d15b252 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/IDatabaseContextFactory.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/IDatabaseContextFactory.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// Request a context for write usage. Can be consumed in a nested fashion (and will return the same underlying context).
         /// This method may block if a write is already active on a different thread.
         /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="withTransaction">Whether to start a transaction for this write.</param>
         /// <returns>A usage containing a usable context.</returns>
-        DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite();
+        DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite(bool withTransaction = true);
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/MutableDatabaseBackedStore.cs b/osu.Game/Database/MutableDatabaseBackedStore.cs
index 8569d81f01..69a1f57cc4 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/MutableDatabaseBackedStore.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/MutableDatabaseBackedStore.cs
@@ -50,11 +50,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
         /// <param name="item">The item to update.</param>
         public void Update(T item)
         {
-            ItemRemoved?.Invoke(item);
-
             using (var usage = ContextFactory.GetForWrite())
                 usage.Context.Update(item);
 
+            ItemRemoved?.Invoke(item);
             ItemAdded?.Invoke(item);
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/OsuDbContext.cs b/osu.Game/Database/OsuDbContext.cs
index 1979ce3648..0ae197d62d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/OsuDbContext.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/OsuDbContext.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 using System;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
-using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Diagnostics;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using osu.Framework.Logging;
@@ -104,19 +103,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
             modelBuilder.Entity<BeatmapInfo>().HasOne(b => b.BaseDifficulty);
         }
 
-        public IDbContextTransaction BeginTransaction()
-        {
-            // return Database.BeginTransaction();
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        public int SaveChanges(IDbContextTransaction transaction = null)
-        {
-            var ret = base.SaveChanges();
-            if (ret > 0) transaction?.Commit();
-            return ret;
-        }
-
         private class OsuDbLoggerFactory : ILoggerFactory
         {
             #region Disposal
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs b/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs
index 74951e8433..ce3fbf6881 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 
         public OsuDbContext Get() => context;
 
-        public DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite() => new DatabaseWriteUsage(context, null);
+        public DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite(bool withTransaction = true) => new DatabaseWriteUsage(context, null);
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
index a3a081d6d1..b9d32a6322 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
         {
             try
             {
-                using (var db = contextFactory.GetForWrite())
+                using (var db = contextFactory.GetForWrite(false))
                     db.Context.Migrate();
             }
             catch (MigrationFailedException e)
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
                 contextFactory.ResetDatabase();
                 Logger.Log("Database purged successfully.", LoggingTarget.Database, LogLevel.Important);
 
-                using (var db = contextFactory.GetForWrite())
+                using (var db = contextFactory.GetForWrite(false))
                     db.Context.Migrate();
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game/osu.Game.csproj b/osu.Game/osu.Game.csproj
index 1a75f1979a..afb656a260 100644
--- a/osu.Game/osu.Game.csproj
+++ b/osu.Game/osu.Game.csproj
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   <ItemGroup Label="Package References">
     <PackageReference Include="Humanizer" Version="2.2.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite" Version="2.0.1" />
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite.Core" Version="2.0.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite.Core" Version="2.0.3" />
     <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="10.0.3" />
     <PackageReference Include="SharpCompress" Version="0.18.1" />
     <PackageReference Include="NUnit" Version="3.10.1" />