diff --git a/src/download_system/orchestration.rs b/src/download_system/orchestration.rs
index 073f2e5..f36708d 100644
--- a/src/download_system/orchestration.rs
+++ b/src/download_system/orchestration.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 use async_channel::{Receiver, Sender};
 use colored::*;
 use log::{info, warn};
-use std::{fs, time::Duration};
+use std::{
+    fs,
+    time::{Duration, Instant},
+};
 use tokio::{fs::metadata, time::sleep};
 
 use super::transfer::TransferMessage;
@@ -111,6 +114,12 @@ async fn watch_for_import(
     transfer: Transfer,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     info!("{}: watching imports", transfer);
+    // Give up watching after this long so a transfer that never fully imports
+    // (e.g. one containing a sample the *arr won't import) can't loop forever
+    // and accumulate until downloads stall (see issue #30). Genuine imports are
+    // detected within a poll or two, so the default is generous.
+    let import_timeout = Duration::from_secs(app_data.config.import_timeout_secs);
+    let started = Instant::now();
     loop {
         if transfer.is_imported().await {
             info!("{}: imported", transfer);
@@ -132,11 +141,20 @@ async fn watch_for_import(
             let m = transfer.clone();
             tx.send(TransferMessage::Imported(m)).await?;
 
+            info!("{}: removed", transfer);
+            break;
+        }
+        if app_data.config.import_timeout_secs > 0 && started.elapsed() > import_timeout {
+            warn!(
+                "{}: still not imported after {:?}; giving up watching. It likely contains a \
+                 file the *arr won't import (e.g. a sample outside a skip_directories folder), \
+                 so its local/put.io copies won't be cleaned up automatically.",
+                transfer, import_timeout
+            );
             break;
         }
         sleep(Duration::from_secs(app_data.config.polling_interval)).await;
     }
-    info!("{}: removed", transfer);
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 4699b26..9669ce5 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ struct RunArgs {
     pub config_path: String,
 }
 
+/// Default for [`Config::import_timeout_secs`] (2h), enforced at the type level
+/// so the documented default holds even without the Figment default layer.
+fn default_import_timeout_secs() -> u64 {
+    7200
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone)]
 pub struct Config {
     bind_address: String,
@@ -52,6 +58,13 @@ pub struct Config {
     orchestration_workers: usize,
     password: String,
     polling_interval: u64,
+    /// How long (seconds) to keep polling for a transfer to be imported before
+    /// giving up watching it. Bounds the per-transfer import-watch loop so a
+    /// transfer that never fully imports (e.g. one with a sample the *arr won't
+    /// import) can't accumulate and stall downloads. Default 7200 (2h); 0
+    /// disables the bound (watch indefinitely).
+    #[serde(default = "default_import_timeout_secs")]
+    import_timeout_secs: u64,
     port: u16,
     skip_directories: Vec<String>,
     uid: u32,
@@ -145,6 +158,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
                 .join(Serialized::default("orchestration_workers", 10))
                 .join(Serialized::default("loglevel", "info"))
                 .join(Serialized::default("polling_interval", 10))
+                .join(Serialized::default("import_timeout_secs", 7200u64))
                 .join(Serialized::default("port", 9091))
                 .join(Serialized::default("uid", 1000))
                 .join(Serialized::default("download_unmanaged", false))
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index 594e6d6..a82b062 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ uid = 1000
 # Optional polling interval in secs, default 10.
 polling_interval = 10
 
+# Optional. Give up watching a transfer for import after this many seconds, default 7200 (2h).
+# Bounds the per-transfer import-watch loop so a transfer that never fully imports (e.g. one
+# containing a sample the *arr won't import) can't accumulate and eventually stall downloads.
+# Set to 0 to disable (watch indefinitely).
+import_timeout_secs = 7200
+
 # Optional skip directories when downloading, default ["sample", "extras"]
 skip_directories = ["sample", "extras"]