diff --git a/github/resource_github_branch_protection.go b/github/resource_github_branch_protection.go
index feaa23b002..f5b784fe62 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_branch_protection.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_branch_protection.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func resourceGithubBranchProtection() *schema.Resource {
 		Delete: resourceGithubBranchProtectionDelete,
 
 		Importer: &schema.ResourceImporter{
-			State: schema.ImportStatePassthrough,
+			State: resourceGithubBranchProtectionImport,
 		},
 
 		StateUpgraders: []schema.StateUpgrader{
@@ -269,3 +269,24 @@ func resourceGithubBranchProtectionDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface
 
 	return err
 }
+
+func resourceGithubBranchProtectionImport(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) ([]*schema.ResourceData, error) {
+	repoName, pattern, err := parseTwoPartID(d.Id(), "repository", "pattern")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	repoID, err := getRepositoryID(repoName, meta)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	d.Set("repository_id", repoID)
+
+	id, err := getBranchProtectionID(repoName, pattern, meta)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	d.SetId(fmt.Sprintf("%s", id))
+
+	return []*schema.ResourceData{d}, resourceGithubBranchProtectionRead(d, meta)
+}
diff --git a/github/resource_github_branch_protection_test.go b/github/resource_github_branch_protection_test.go
index 0adb43467a..7309b1f45c 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_branch_protection_test.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_branch_protection_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/helper/acctest"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/helper/resource"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/terraform"
 )
 
 func TestAccGithubBranchProtection(t *testing.T) {
@@ -57,6 +58,14 @@ func TestAccGithubBranchProtection(t *testing.T) {
 						Config: config,
 						Check:  check,
 					},
+					{
+						ResourceName:      "github_branch_protection.test",
+						ImportState:       true,
+						ImportStateVerify: true,
+						ImportStateIdFunc: branchProtectionImportStateIdFunc(
+							fmt.Sprintf("tf-acc-test-%s", randomID), "main",
+						),
+					},
 				},
 			})
 		}
@@ -253,3 +262,9 @@ func TestAccGithubBranchProtection(t *testing.T) {
 
 	})
 }
+
+func branchProtectionImportStateIdFunc(repo, pattern string) resource.ImportStateIdFunc {
+	return func(s *terraform.State) (string, error) {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", repo, pattern), nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/website/docs/r/branch_protection.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/branch_protection.html.markdown
index 2269cba049..c74fac620a 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/branch_protection.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/branch_protection.html.markdown
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 
 ## Import
 
-GitHub Branch Protection can be imported using an ID made up of `repository:branch`, e.g.
+GitHub Branch Protection can be imported using an ID made up of `repository:pattern`, e.g.
 
 ```
-$ terraform import github_branch_protection.terraform terraform:master
+$ terraform import github_branch_protection.terraform terraform:main
 ```