diff --git a/src/backend/core/services/zip_import.py b/src/backend/core/services/zip_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..831e37fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/core/services/zip_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""Parse ZIP exports into a document tree."""
+
+import zipfile
+from collections import defaultdict
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import PurePosixPath
+
+
+@dataclass
+class DocumentNode:
+    """A document node in the import tree."""
+
+    title: str
+    content: bytes | None = None
+    children: list["DocumentNode"] = field(default_factory=list)
+
+
+def parse_zip(zf: zipfile.ZipFile) -> list[DocumentNode]:
+    """Return root DocumentNodes parsed from a ZIP export."""
+    return _build_tree(_read_md_files(zf))
+
+
+def _read_md_files(zf: zipfile.ZipFile) -> dict[str, bytes]:
+    """Read .md files from the zip."""
+    result = {}
+    for info in zf.infolist():
+        if not info.filename.lower().endswith(".md"):
+            continue
+        result[info.filename] = zf.read(info.filename)
+    return result
+
+
+def _build_tree(md_files: dict[str, bytes]) -> list[DocumentNode]:
+    """
+    Build a DocumentNode tree from a flat dict of path -> markdown content.
+
+    A folder and a .md file with the same name at the same level merge into a
+    single node: the .md provides content, the folder provides children.
+    Folders without a matching .md become container nodes with no content.
+    """
+    paths = {PurePosixPath(k): v for k, v in md_files.items()}
+
+    all_dirs: set[PurePosixPath] = set()
+    for path in paths:
+        for ancestor in path.parents:
+            if str(ancestor) != ".":
+                all_dirs.add(ancestor)
+
+    by_parent: dict[PurePosixPath, dict[str, bytes]] = defaultdict(dict)
+    for path, content in paths.items():
+        by_parent[path.parent][path.stem] = content
+
+    dirs_by_parent: dict[PurePosixPath, set[str]] = defaultdict(set)
+    for d in all_dirs:
+        dirs_by_parent[d.parent].add(d.name)
+
+    def build_children(parent: PurePosixPath) -> list[DocumentNode]:
+        files = by_parent.get(parent, {})
+        subdirs = dirs_by_parent.get(parent, set())
+        nodes = []
+        for name in sorted(set(files) | subdirs):
+            node = DocumentNode(title=name, content=files.get(name))
+            subdir = parent / name
+            if subdir in all_dirs:
+                node.children = build_children(subdir)
+            nodes.append(node)
+        return nodes
+
+    return build_children(PurePosixPath("."))
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/fixtures/outline-export.zip b/src/backend/core/tests/fixtures/outline-export.zip
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06970ffa5
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/backend/core/tests/fixtures/outline-export.zip differ
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/test_zip_import_service.py b/src/backend/core/tests/test_zip_import_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a0439d4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/core/tests/test_zip_import_service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+"""Unit tests for the zip_import service."""
+
+import io
+import zipfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from core.services.zip_import import parse_zip
+
+FIXTURES = Path(__file__).parent / "fixtures"
+
+
+def test_parse_empty_zip():
+    """An empty zip returns no nodes."""
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf, "w"):
+        pass
+    buf.seek(0)
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf) as zf:
+        assert not parse_zip(zf)
+
+
+def test_parse_zip_ignores_non_md_files():
+    """Only .md files produce nodes; images, CSVs etc. are silently skipped."""
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf, "w") as zf:
+        zf.writestr("doc.md", b"# Hello")
+        zf.writestr("image.png", b"\x89PNG")
+        zf.writestr("data.csv", b"a,b,c")
+    buf.seek(0)
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf) as zf:
+        nodes = parse_zip(zf)
+    assert len(nodes) == 1
+    assert nodes[0].title == "doc"
+
+
+def test_parse_zip_root_collection():
+    """A top-level folder with no matching .md becomes a container node."""
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(FIXTURES / "outline-export.zip") as zf:
+        roots = parse_zip(zf)
+
+    assert len(roots) == 1
+    assert roots[0].title == "Welcome"
+    assert roots[0].content is None
+    assert len(roots[0].children) == 4
+
+
+def test_parse_zip_nested_children():
+    """A subfolder alongside a .md of the same name yields children on that node."""
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(FIXTURES / "outline-export.zip") as zf:
+        roots = parse_zip(zf)
+
+    by_title = {c.title: c for c in roots[0].children}
+    getting_started = by_title["Getting Started"]
+    assert len(getting_started.children) == 1
+    assert getting_started.children[0].title == "rich nested doc"
+
+
+def test_parse_zip_content_present():
+    """Nodes built from .md files carry their raw bytes as content."""
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(FIXTURES / "outline-export.zip") as zf:
+        roots = parse_zip(zf)
+
+    by_title = {c.title: c for c in roots[0].children}
+    assert by_title["Our Editor"].content is not None
+    assert b"editor" in by_title["Our Editor"].content.lower()
+
+
+def test_parse_folder_alongside_md_merges():
+    """A folder and a same-name .md at the same level merge into one node."""
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf, "w") as zf:
+        zf.writestr("Parent/Doc.md", b"# Doc content")
+        zf.writestr("Parent/Doc/Child.md", b"# Child")
+    buf.seek(0)
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf) as zf:
+        roots = parse_zip(zf)
+
+    assert len(roots) == 1
+    doc = roots[0].children[0]
+    assert doc.title == "Doc"
+    assert doc.content == b"# Doc content"
+    assert len(doc.children) == 1
+    assert doc.children[0].title == "Child"