diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 179463118..b92b688d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
 
 ### Added
+- API import supports `-safeUpdate` to prevent updates when an existing API path belongs to a different API name [#556](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/556)
 - Allow deletion of application credentials like oauth/apikey [#583](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/583)
 - Extend the functionality of "override_certificates" environment property [#565](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/565)
 
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
 ### Added
 - Support of All / Global quotas for API and application. (See issue [#362](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/362))
-- Host docker cli images on github docker registry (See issue [#373](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/373)
+- Host docker cli images on github docker registry (See issue [#373](https://github.com/Axway-API-Management-Plus/apim-cli/issues/373))
 
 
 ## [1.13.5] 2023-03-15
diff --git a/modules/apim-adapter/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/lib/error/ErrorCode.java b/modules/apim-adapter/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/lib/error/ErrorCode.java
index bf19606ca..7751018ec 100644
--- a/modules/apim-adapter/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/lib/error/ErrorCode.java
+++ b/modules/apim-adapter/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/lib/error/ErrorCode.java
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ public enum ErrorCode {
     GRANT_ACCESS_APPLICATION_ERR(102, "Error granting application access to API."),
     REVOKE_ACCESS_APPLICATION_ERR(103, "Error revoking application access to API."),
     INVALID_SECURITY_PROFILE_CONFIG(104, "The given security profile is invalid.", false),
-    ERR_IMPORTING_API_DAT_FILE(105, "Error importing API-Dat file.", false);
+    ERR_IMPORTING_API_DAT_FILE(105, "Error importing API-Dat file.", false),
+    API_PATH_IN_USE_BY_DIFFERENT_API(106, "Configured API path is already used by a different API.", false);
 
 
     private final int code;
diff --git a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportApp.java b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportApp.java
index 0e4d620d1..1bfec23f6 100644
--- a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportApp.java
+++ b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportApp.java
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ public int importAPI(APIImportParams params) {
                 .useFEAPIDefinition(params.isUseFEAPIDefinition()) // Should API-Definition load from the FE-API?
                 .build();
             API actualAPI = apimAdapter.getApiAdapter().getAPI(filter, true);
+            validateSafeUpdate(actualAPI, desiredAPI, params);
             APIChangeState changes = new APIChangeState(actualAPI, desiredAPI, params);
             new APIImportManager().applyChanges(changes, params.isForceUpdate(), params.isUpdateOnly());
             APIPropertiesExport.getInstance().store();
@@ -146,6 +147,20 @@ public int importAPI(APIImportParams params) {
         }
     }
 
+    void validateSafeUpdate(API actualAPI, API desiredAPI, APIImportParams params) throws AppException {
+        if (!params.isSafeUpdate()) return;
+        if (actualAPI == null) return;
+        if (actualAPI.getName() == null || desiredAPI.getName() == null) return;
+        if (actualAPI.getName().equals(desiredAPI.getName())) return;
+        if (desiredAPI.getId() != null && desiredAPI.getId().equals(actualAPI.getId())) return;
+
+        throw new AppException(
+            "Safe update blocked: Path '" + desiredAPI.getPath() + "' is already used by API '" + actualAPI.getName() +
+                "' (ID: " + actualAPI.getId() + "). Desired API name is '" + desiredAPI.getName() + "'.",
+            ErrorCode.API_PATH_IN_USE_BY_DIFFERENT_API
+        );
+    }
+
     @Override
     public String getGroupId() {
         return "api";
diff --git a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/CLIAPIImportOptions.java b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/CLIAPIImportOptions.java
index e8ffdbbbc..b407e0389 100644
--- a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/CLIAPIImportOptions.java
+++ b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/CLIAPIImportOptions.java
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ public void addOptions() {
 		option.setRequired(false);
 		addOption(option);
 
+		option = new Option("safeUpdate", "If set, import fails when the same API path is already used by a different API name (unless apiId matches).");
+		option.setRequired(false);
+		addOption(option);
+
 		option = new Option("zeroDowntimeUpdate", true,"Always update a published APIs by creating a new API and switch clients to it. Defaults to false");
 		option.setRequired(false);
 		addOption(option);
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ public Parameters getParams() {
 		params.setConfig(getValue("config"));
 		params.setApiDefinition(getValue("apidefinition"));
 		params.setForceUpdate(hasOption("forceUpdate"));
+		params.setSafeUpdate(hasOption("safeUpdate"));
 		params.setChangeOrganization(hasOption("changeOrganization"));
 		params.setUseFEAPIDefinition(hasOption("useFEAPIDefinition"));
 		params.setIgnoreQuotas(hasOption("ignoreQuotas"));
diff --git a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/params/APIImportParams.java b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/params/APIImportParams.java
index 2d907bcfc..ca9560a9f 100644
--- a/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/params/APIImportParams.java
+++ b/modules/apis/src/main/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/params/APIImportParams.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 public class APIImportParams extends StandardImportParams implements Parameters {
 
     private boolean forceUpdate;
+    private boolean safeUpdate;
     private boolean useFEAPIDefinition;
     private boolean validateRemoteHost;
     private boolean updateOnly;
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ public boolean isForceUpdate() {
     public void setForceUpdate(boolean forceUpdate) {
         this.forceUpdate = forceUpdate;
     }
+    public boolean isSafeUpdate() {
+        return safeUpdate;
+    }
+    public void setSafeUpdate(boolean safeUpdate) {
+        this.safeUpdate = safeUpdate;
+    }
     public boolean isValidateRemoteHost() {
         return validateRemoteHost;
     }
diff --git a/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportAppTest.java b/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportAppTest.java
index 39dce378b..061e6dc27 100644
--- a/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportAppTest.java
+++ b/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/APIImportAppTest.java
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import com.axway.apim.lib.error.AppException;
+import com.axway.apim.lib.error.ErrorCode;
+
 public class APIImportAppTest extends WiremockWrapper {
 
     @BeforeClass
@@ -59,4 +62,59 @@ public void testEmptyPassword() throws Exception {
         Assert.assertEquals("",desiredAPI.getAuthenticationProfiles().get(0).getParameters().get("password"));
 
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void safeUpdateAllowsSameName() throws AppException {
+        APIImportApp app = new APIImportApp();
+        APIImportParams params = new APIImportParams();
+        params.setSafeUpdate(true);
+
+        API actualApi = new API();
+        actualApi.setId("actual-id");
+        actualApi.setName("Order API");
+
+        API desiredApi = new API();
+        desiredApi.setId("desired-id");
+        desiredApi.setName("Order API");
+        desiredApi.setPath("/api/orders/v1");
+
+        app.validateSafeUpdate(actualApi, desiredApi, params);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void safeUpdateAllowsNameMismatchWhenApiIdMatches() throws AppException {
+        APIImportApp app = new APIImportApp();
+        APIImportParams params = new APIImportParams();
+        params.setSafeUpdate(true);
+
+        API actualApi = new API();
+        actualApi.setId("same-id");
+        actualApi.setName("Order API");
+
+        API desiredApi = new API();
+        desiredApi.setId("same-id");
+        desiredApi.setName("Inventory API");
+        desiredApi.setPath("/api/orders/v1");
+
+        app.validateSafeUpdate(actualApi, desiredApi, params);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void safeUpdateBlocksNameMismatchForSamePath() {
+        APIImportApp app = new APIImportApp();
+        APIImportParams params = new APIImportParams();
+        params.setSafeUpdate(true);
+
+        API actualApi = new API();
+        actualApi.setId("actual-id");
+        actualApi.setName("Order API");
+
+        API desiredApi = new API();
+        desiredApi.setId("different-id");
+        desiredApi.setName("Inventory API");
+        desiredApi.setPath("/api/orders/v1");
+
+        AppException exception = Assert.expectThrows(AppException.class, () -> app.validateSafeUpdate(actualApi, desiredApi, params));
+        Assert.assertEquals(exception.getError(), ErrorCode.API_PATH_IN_USE_BY_DIFFERENT_API);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/APIImportCLIOptionsTest.java b/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/APIImportCLIOptionsTest.java
index 31bb7ea89..7aa58e7b4 100644
--- a/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/APIImportCLIOptionsTest.java
+++ b/modules/apis/src/test/java/com/axway/apim/apiimport/lib/cli/APIImportCLIOptionsTest.java
@@ -48,11 +48,12 @@ public void testAPIImportParameter() throws AppException {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testToggles() throws AppException {
-		String[] args = {"-s", "prod", "-c", "myConfig.json", "-rollback", "true", "-force", "-forceUpdate", "-ignoreCache", "-useFEAPIDefinition", "-changeOrganization", "-ignoreQuotas", "-updateOnly"};
+		String[] args = {"-s", "prod", "-c", "myConfig.json", "-rollback", "true", "-force", "-forceUpdate", "-safeUpdate", "-ignoreCache", "-useFEAPIDefinition", "-changeOrganization", "-ignoreQuotas", "-updateOnly"};
 		CLIOptions options = CLIAPIImportOptions.create(args);
 		APIImportParams params = (APIImportParams) options.getParams();
 		Assert.assertTrue(params.isForce());
 		Assert.assertTrue(params.isForceUpdate());
+		Assert.assertTrue(params.isSafeUpdate());
 		Assert.assertTrue(params.isIgnoreCache());
 		Assert.assertTrue(params.isUpdateOnly());
 		Assert.assertTrue(params.isChangeOrganization());
@@ -96,4 +97,12 @@ public void testRetireFlagAndDate() throws AppException {
         Assert.assertTrue(params.isReferenceAPIRetire());
         Assert.assertEquals(params.getReferenceAPIRetirementDate(), "31.12.2027");
     }
+
+	@Test
+	public void testSafeUpdateDefault() throws AppException {
+		String[] args = {"-s", "prod", "-c", "myConfig.json"};
+		CLIOptions options = CLIAPIImportOptions.create(args);
+		APIImportParams params = (APIImportParams) options.getParams();
+		Assert.assertFalse(params.isSafeUpdate());
+	}
 }