diff --git a/spec/unit/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.spec.ts b/spec/unit/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.spec.ts
index 7685f811d9b..ba1873b1f95 100644
--- a/spec/unit/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.spec.ts
+++ b/spec/unit/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.spec.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import {
     EventShieldReason,
     ImportRoomKeysOpts,
     KeyBackupCheck,
+    RoomKeySource,
     VerificationRequest,
 } from "../../../src/crypto-api";
 import * as testData from "../../test-utils/test-data";
@@ -931,6 +932,51 @@ describe("RustCrypto", () => {
             await rustCrypto.onUserIdentityUpdated(new RustSdkCryptoJs.UserId(testData.TEST_USER_ID));
             expect(await keyBackupStatusPromise).toBe(true);
         });
+
+        it("does not back up keys that came from backup", async () => {
+            const rustCrypto = await makeTestRustCrypto();
+
+            const olmMachine = rustCrypto.getOlmMachineOrThrow();
+
+            await olmMachine.enableBackupV1(
+                testData.SIGNED_BACKUP_DATA.auth_data.public_key,
+                testData.SIGNED_BACKUP_DATA.version,
+            );
+
+            // we import two keys: one "from backup", and one "from export"
+            const [backedUpRoomKey, exportedRoomKey, ..._] = testData.MEGOLM_SESSION_DATA_ARRAY;
+            await rustCrypto.importRoomKeys([backedUpRoomKey], {
+                source: RoomKeySource.Backup,
+            });
+            await rustCrypto.importRoomKeys([exportedRoomKey]);
+
+            // we ask for the keys that should be backed up
+            const roomKeysRequest = await olmMachine.backupRoomKeys();
+            expect(roomKeysRequest).toBeTruthy();
+            const roomKeys = JSON.parse(roomKeysRequest!.body);
+
+            // we expect that the key "from export" is present
+            expect(roomKeys).toMatchObject({
+                "rooms": {
+                    [exportedRoomKey.room_id]: {
+                        sessions: {
+                            [exportedRoomKey.session_id]: {}
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            // we expect that the key "from backup" is not present
+            expect(roomKeys).not.toMatchObject({
+                "rooms": {
+                    [backedUpRoomKey.room_id]: {
+                        sessions: {
+                            [backedUpRoomKey.session_id]: {}
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+        });
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index 5d436a1fcff..de3376c21af 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ import { LocalNotificationSettings } from "./@types/local_notifications";
 import { buildFeatureSupportMap, Feature, ServerSupport } from "./feature";
 import { CryptoBackend } from "./common-crypto/CryptoBackend";
 import { RUST_SDK_STORE_PREFIX } from "./rust-crypto/constants";
-import { BootstrapCrossSigningOpts, CrossSigningKeyInfo, CryptoApi, ImportRoomKeysOpts } from "./crypto-api";
+import { BootstrapCrossSigningOpts, CrossSigningKeyInfo, CryptoApi, ImportRoomKeysOpts, RoomKeySource } from "./crypto-api";
 import { DeviceInfoMap } from "./crypto/DeviceList";
 import {
     AddSecretStorageKeyOpts,
@@ -3974,7 +3974,7 @@ export class MatrixClient extends TypedEventEmitter<EmittedEvents, ClientEventHa
         await this.cryptoBackend.importRoomKeys(keys, {
             progressCallback,
             untrusted,
-            source: "backup",
+            source: RoomKeySource.Backup,
         });
 
         /// in case entering the passphrase would add a new signature?
diff --git a/src/crypto-api.ts b/src/crypto-api.ts
index 3520ee0cbe9..0917c48222e 100644
--- a/src/crypto-api.ts
+++ b/src/crypto-api.ts
@@ -569,6 +569,20 @@ export interface ImportRoomKeyProgressData {
     total: number;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Where a room key came from
+ */
+export enum RoomKeySource {
+    /** from key backup */
+    Backup = "backup",
+    /** from a key export */
+    Export = "export",
+    /** via a key forward */
+    Forward = "forward",
+    /** directly from the sender */
+    Direct = "direct",
+}
+
 /**
  * Options object for {@link CryptoApi#importRoomKeys}.
  */
@@ -577,7 +591,8 @@ export interface ImportRoomKeysOpts {
     progressCallback?: (stage: ImportRoomKeyProgressData) => void;
     // TODO, the rust SDK will always such imported keys as untrusted
     untrusted?: boolean;
-    source?: String; // TODO: Enum (backup, file, ??)
+    /** Where the room key came from */
+    source?: RoomKeySource;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/crypto/algorithms/megolm.ts b/src/crypto/algorithms/megolm.ts
index 54d9d7fa33b..b665e25ca00 100644
--- a/src/crypto/algorithms/megolm.ts
+++ b/src/crypto/algorithms/megolm.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import { EventType, MsgType, ToDeviceMessageId } from "../../@types/event";
 import { IMegolmEncryptedContent, IncomingRoomKeyRequest, IEncryptedContent } from "../index";
 import { RoomKeyRequestState } from "../OutgoingRoomKeyRequestManager";
 import { OlmGroupSessionExtraData } from "../../@types/crypto";
+import { RoomKeySource } from "../../crypto-api";
 import { MatrixError } from "../../http-api";
 import { immediate, MapWithDefault } from "../../utils";
 
@@ -2046,7 +2047,7 @@ export class MegolmDecryption extends DecryptionAlgorithm {
                 extraSessionData,
             )
             .then(() => {
-                if (source !== "backup") {
+                if (source !== RoomKeySource.Backup) {
                     // don't wait for it to complete
                     this.crypto.backupManager.backupGroupSession(session.sender_key, session.session_id).catch((e) => {
                         // This throws if the upload failed, but this is fine
diff --git a/src/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.ts b/src/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.ts
index 3eeaf4cbc07..62f9cfc3df6 100644
--- a/src/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.ts
+++ b/src/rust-crypto/rust-crypto.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
     KeyBackupCheck,
     KeyBackupInfo,
     KeyBackupSession,
+    RoomKeySource,
     UserVerificationStatus,
     VerificationRequest,
 } from "../crypto-api";
@@ -223,7 +224,7 @@ export class RustCrypto extends TypedEventEmitter<RustCryptoEvents, RustCryptoEv
         for (const k of keys) {
             k.room_id = targetRoomId;
         }
-        await this.importRoomKeys(keys);
+        await this.importRoomKeys(keys, { source: RoomKeySource.Backup });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -390,8 +391,7 @@ export class RustCrypto extends TypedEventEmitter<RustCryptoEvents, RustCryptoEv
 
     public async importRoomKeys(keys: IMegolmSessionData[], opts?: ImportRoomKeysOpts): Promise<void> {
         // TODO when backup support will be added we would need to expose the `from_backup` flag in the bindings
-        const jsonKeys = JSON.stringify(keys);
-        await this.olmMachine.importRoomKeys(jsonKeys, (progress: BigInt, total: BigInt) => {
+        const callback = (progress: BigInt, total: BigInt) => {
             const importOpt: ImportRoomKeyProgressData = {
                 total: Number(total),
                 successes: Number(progress),
@@ -399,7 +399,21 @@ export class RustCrypto extends TypedEventEmitter<RustCryptoEvents, RustCryptoEv
                 failures: 0,
             };
             opts?.progressCallback?.(importOpt);
-        });
+        };
+        if (opts?.source === RoomKeySource.Backup) {
+            const keysByRoom: Map<RustSdkCryptoJs.RoomId, Map<string, IMegolmSessionData>> = new Map();
+            for (const key of keys) {
+                let room_id = new RustSdkCryptoJs.RoomId(key.room_id);
+                if (!keysByRoom.has(room_id)) {
+                    keysByRoom.set(room_id, new Map());
+                }
+                keysByRoom.get(room_id)!.set(key.session_id, key);
+            }
+            await this.olmMachine.importBackedUpRoomKeys(keysByRoom, callback);
+        } else {
+            const jsonKeys = JSON.stringify(keys);
+            await this.olmMachine.importExportedRoomKeys(jsonKeys, callback);
+        }
     }
 
     /**