diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/category.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/category.py
index d898dbbe8d2e..b5d8cb9d9fd1 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/category.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/category.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.orm as orm
 from mealie.core import root_logger
+from mealie.db.db_setup import SessionLocal
 from mealie.db.models._model_base import BaseMixins, SqlAlchemyBase
 from slugify import slugify
 from sqlalchemy.orm import validates
@@ -56,12 +57,13 @@ class Category(SqlAlchemyBase, BaseMixins):
         self.slug = slugify(name)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def create_if_not_exist(session, name: str = None):
+    def create_if_not_exist(name: str = None):
         test_slug = slugify(name)
-        result = session.query(Category).filter(Category.slug == test_slug).one_or_none()
-        if result:
-            logger.debug("Category exists, associating recipe")
-            return result
-        else:
-            logger.debug("Category doesn't exists, creating tag")
-            return Category(name=name)
+        with SessionLocal() as session:
+            result = session.query(Category).filter(Category.slug == test_slug).one_or_none()
+            if result:
+                logger.debug("Category exists, associating recipe")
+                return result
+            else:
+                logger.debug("Category doesn't exists, creating tag")
+                return Category(name=name)
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/recipe.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/recipe.py
index a3aaaad4d50b..36677b8fe337 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/recipe.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/recipe.py
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ class RecipeModel(SqlAlchemyBase, BaseMixins):
         self.perform_time = perform_time
         self.cook_time = cook_time
 
-        self.recipe_category = [x for x in [Category.get_ref(cat) for cat in recipe_category] if x]
+        self.recipe_category = [x for x in [Category.create_if_not_exist(cat) for cat in recipe_category] if x]
 
         # Mealie Specific
         self.settings = RecipeSettings(**settings) if settings else RecipeSettings()
-        self.tags = [x for x in [Tag.get_ref(tag) for tag in tags] if x]
+        self.tags = [Tag.create_if_not_exist(tag) for tag in tags]
         self.slug = slug
         self.notes = [Note(**note) for note in notes]
         self.rating = rating
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
index 45cce26cc9e6..599cbccaa4ce 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.orm as orm
 from mealie.core import root_logger
+from mealie.db.db_setup import SessionLocal
 from mealie.db.models._model_base import BaseMixins, SqlAlchemyBase
 from slugify import slugify
 from sqlalchemy.orm import validates
@@ -35,13 +36,14 @@ class Tag(SqlAlchemyBase, BaseMixins):
         self.slug = slugify(self.name)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def create_if_not_exist(session, name: str = None):
+    def create_if_not_exist(name: str = None):
         test_slug = slugify(name)
-        result = session.query(Tag).filter(Tag.slug == test_slug).one_or_none()
+        with SessionLocal() as session:
+            result = session.query(Tag).filter(Tag.slug == test_slug).one_or_none()
 
-        if result:
-            logger.debug("Tag exists, associating recipe")
-            return result
-        else:
-            logger.debug("Tag doesn't exists, creating tag")
-            return Tag(name=name)
+            if result:
+                logger.debug("Tag exists, associating recipe")
+                return result
+            else:
+                logger.debug("Tag doesn't exists, creating tag")
+                return Tag(name=name)
diff --git a/mealie/routes/backup_routes.py b/mealie/routes/backup_routes.py
index a2d58edb8518..cd642848fc03 100644
--- a/mealie/routes/backup_routes.py
+++ b/mealie/routes/backup_routes.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import operator
 import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
+from pprint import pprint
 
 from fastapi import BackgroundTasks, Depends, File, HTTPException, UploadFile, status
 from mealie.core.config import app_dirs
@@ -98,6 +99,9 @@ def import_database(
         force_import=import_data.force,
         rebase=import_data.rebase,
     )
+
+    pprint(db_import)
+
     background_tasks.add_task(create_backup_event, "Database Restore", f"Restore File: {file_name}", session)
     return db_import