diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index efaea42be6..eb241b1eab 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -3295,9 +3295,6 @@ def do_create_realm(string_id: str, name: str,
     kwargs = {}  # type: Dict[str, Any]
     if emails_restricted_to_domains is not None:
         kwargs['emails_restricted_to_domains'] = emails_restricted_to_domains
-    if settings.BILLING_ENABLED:
-        kwargs['plan_type'] = Realm.LIMITED
-        kwargs['message_visibility_limit'] = Realm.MESSAGE_VISIBILITY_LIMITED
     realm = Realm(string_id=string_id, name=name, **kwargs)
     realm.save()
 
@@ -3312,6 +3309,9 @@ def do_create_realm(string_id: str, name: str,
 
     realm.save(update_fields=['notifications_stream', 'signup_notifications_stream'])
 
+    if settings.BILLING_ENABLED:
+        do_change_plan_type(realm, Realm.LIMITED)
+
     # Log the event
     log_event({"type": "realm_created",
                "string_id": string_id,
diff --git a/zerver/lib/import_realm.py b/zerver/lib/import_realm.py
index b345c3a0c1..df753a3c7d 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/import_realm.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/import_realm.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ from django.utils.timezone import utc as timezone_utc, now as timezone_now
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Tuple, \
     Iterable, cast
 
-from zerver.lib.actions import UserMessageLite, bulk_insert_ums
+from zerver.lib.actions import UserMessageLite, bulk_insert_ums, \
+    do_change_plan_type
 from zerver.lib.avatar_hash import user_avatar_path_from_ids
 from zerver.lib.bulk_create import bulk_create_users
 from zerver.lib.timestamp import datetime_to_timestamp
@@ -683,10 +684,6 @@ def do_import_realm(import_dir: Path, subdomain: str) -> Realm:
     update_model_ids(Realm, data, 'realm')
 
     realm = Realm(**data['zerver_realm'][0])
-    if settings.BILLING_ENABLED:
-        realm.plan_type = Realm.LIMITED
-    else:
-        realm.plan_type = Realm.SELF_HOSTED
 
     if realm.notifications_stream_id is not None:
         notifications_stream_id = int(realm.notifications_stream_id)  # type: Optional[int]
@@ -909,6 +906,9 @@ def do_import_realm(import_dir: Path, subdomain: str) -> Realm:
         data = ujson.load(f)
 
     import_attachments(data)
+
+    if settings.BILLING_ENABLED:
+        do_change_plan_type(realm, Realm.LIMITED)
     return realm
 
 # create_users and do_import_system_bots differ from their equivalent in
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_import_export.py b/zerver/tests/test_import_export.py
index 004fe5ecb8..2f825ef61b 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_import_export.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_import_export.py
@@ -537,7 +537,8 @@ class ImportExportTest(ZulipTestCase):
         self._export_realm(original_realm)
 
         with patch('logging.info'):
-            do_import_realm('var/test-export', 'test-zulip')
+            with self.settings(BILLING_ENABLED=False):
+                do_import_realm('var/test-export', 'test-zulip')
 
         # sanity checks
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_slack_importer.py b/zerver/tests/test_slack_importer.py
index 05a2bfb00c..484b5c07d0 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_slack_importer.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_slack_importer.py
@@ -561,7 +561,8 @@ class SlackImporter(ZulipTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(output_dir + '/realm.json'))
 
         # test import of the converted slack data into an existing database
-        do_import_realm(output_dir, test_realm_subdomain)
+        with self.settings(BILLING_ENABLED=False):
+            do_import_realm(output_dir, test_realm_subdomain)
         realm = get_realm(test_realm_subdomain)
         self.assertTrue(realm.name, test_realm_subdomain)