diff --git a/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c b/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
index b74333a167..d147af3963 100644
--- a/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
+++ b/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
@@ -859,6 +859,27 @@ notes_append (Transaction* selected_match_trans, gchar* new_notes)
     g_free (tmp);
 }
 
+static char*
+maybe_append_string (const char* match_string, const char* imp_string)
+{
+    char *norm_match_string, *norm_imp_string;
+
+    if (!(match_string && *match_string))
+        return g_strdup(imp_string);
+
+    if (!(imp_string && *imp_string))
+        return NULL;
+
+    norm_match_string = g_utf8_normalize (match_string, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
+    norm_imp_string = g_utf8_normalize (imp_string, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
+
+    if (g_utf8_strlen (norm_imp_string, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (norm_match_string, -1) ||
+         !strstr (norm_match_string, norm_imp_string))
+        return g_strconcat(match_string, "|", imp_string, NULL);
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 /* Append or replace transaction description and notes
  * depending on the Append checkbox
  */
@@ -868,52 +889,25 @@ update_desc_and_notes (const GNCImportTransInfo* trans_info)
     GNCImportMatchInfo* selected_match =
             gnc_import_TransInfo_get_selected_match (trans_info);
     Transaction* imp_trans = gnc_import_TransInfo_get_trans (trans_info);
+    Transaction* match_trans = selected_match->trans;
 
     if (trans_info->append_text)
     {
-        gchar *desc_imported, *desc_matched, *note_imported, *note_matched;
-        const gchar* raw_str = xaccTransGetDescription (imp_trans);
-
-        desc_imported =
-            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
-        raw_str = xaccTransGetDescription (selected_match->trans);
-        desc_matched =
-            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
-        raw_str = xaccTransGetNotes (imp_trans);
-        note_imported =
-            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
-        raw_str = xaccTransGetNotes (selected_match->trans);
-        note_matched =
-           raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
-
-        // Append if desc_imported not already in desc_matched
-        if (desc_imported &&
-            (!desc_matched ||
-             g_utf8_strlen (desc_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (desc_matched, -1) ||
-             !strstr (desc_matched, desc_imported)))
-        {
-            if (desc_matched && *desc_matched)
-                desc_append (selected_match->trans, desc_imported);
-            else
-                xaccTransSetDescription (selected_match->trans, desc_imported);
-        }
-
-        // Append if note_imported not already in note_matched
-        if (note_imported &&
-            (!note_matched ||
-             g_utf8_strlen (note_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (note_matched, -1) ||
-             !strstr (note_matched, note_imported)))
-        {
-            if (note_matched && *note_matched)
-                notes_append (selected_match->trans, note_imported);
-            else
-                xaccTransSetNotes (selected_match->trans, note_imported);
-        }
-
-        g_free(desc_imported);
-        g_free(desc_matched);
-        g_free(note_imported);
-        g_free(note_matched);
+        gchar *repl_str;
+
+        repl_str =
+            maybe_append_string (xaccTransGetDescription(match_trans),
+                                 xaccTransGetDescription(imp_trans));
+        if (repl_str)
+            xaccTransSetDescription(match_trans, repl_str);
+        g_free (repl_str);
+
+        repl_str =
+            maybe_append_string (xaccTransGetNotes(match_trans),
+                                 xaccTransGetNotes(imp_trans));
+        if (repl_str)
+            xaccTransSetNotes (match_trans, repl_str);
+        g_free (repl_str);
     }
     else
     {