diff --git a/superset/cli.py b/superset/cli.py
index 0382054daa27b..c97bbb6b42fdd 100755
--- a/superset/cli.py
+++ b/superset/cli.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def load_examples_run(
         examples.load_big_data()
 
     # load examples that are stored as YAML config files
-    examples.load_from_configs(force, load_test_data)
+    examples.load_examples_from_configs(force, load_test_data)
 
 
 @with_appcontext
@@ -187,10 +187,28 @@ def load_examples(
     only_metadata: bool = False,
     force: bool = False,
 ) -> None:
-    """Loads a set of Slices and Dashboards and a supporting dataset """
+    """Loads a set of Slices and Dashboards and a supporting dataset"""
     load_examples_run(load_test_data, load_big_data, only_metadata, force)
 
 
+@with_appcontext
+@superset.command()
+@click.argument("directory")
+@click.option(
+    "--overwrite", "-o", is_flag=True, help="Overwriting existing metadata definitions"
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--force", "-f", is_flag=True, help="Force load data even if table already exists"
+)
+def import_directory(directory: str, overwrite: bool, force: bool) -> None:
+    """Imports configs from a given directory"""
+    from superset.examples.utils import load_configs_from_directory
+
+    load_configs_from_directory(
+        root=Path(directory), overwrite=overwrite, force_data=force,
+    )
+
+
 @with_appcontext
 @superset.command()
 @click.option("--database_name", "-d", help="Database name to change")
diff --git a/superset/datasets/commands/importers/v1/utils.py b/superset/datasets/commands/importers/v1/utils.py
index 6b4dbeb7b8e74..d61be518a25eb 100644
--- a/superset/datasets/commands/importers/v1/utils.py
+++ b/superset/datasets/commands/importers/v1/utils.py
@@ -119,10 +119,12 @@ def import_dataset(
     example_database = get_example_database()
     try:
         table_exists = example_database.has_table_by_name(dataset.table_name)
-    except Exception as ex:
+    except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
         # MySQL doesn't play nice with GSheets table names
-        logger.warning("Couldn't check if table %s exists, stopping import")
-        raise ex
+        logger.warning(
+            "Couldn't check if table %s exists, assuming it does", dataset.table_name
+        )
+        table_exists = True
 
     if data_uri and (not table_exists or force_data):
         load_data(data_uri, dataset, example_database, session)
diff --git a/superset/datasets/schemas.py b/superset/datasets/schemas.py
index a857efec8f634..a73adb64f9e3c 100644
--- a/superset/datasets/schemas.py
+++ b/superset/datasets/schemas.py
@@ -167,5 +167,6 @@ class ImportV1DatasetSchema(Schema):
     columns = fields.List(fields.Nested(ImportV1ColumnSchema))
     metrics = fields.List(fields.Nested(ImportV1MetricSchema))
     version = fields.String(required=True)
-    database_uuid = fields.UUID(required=True)
+    # TODO (betodealmeida): disallow None when we have all imports being done by configs
+    database_uuid = fields.UUID(required=True, allow_none=True)
     data = fields.URL()
diff --git a/superset/examples/__init__.py b/superset/examples/__init__.py
index 161a52f4b4d19..a7742b0ef7dff 100644
--- a/superset/examples/__init__.py
+++ b/superset/examples/__init__.py
@@ -30,5 +30,5 @@
 from .random_time_series import load_random_time_series_data
 from .sf_population_polygons import load_sf_population_polygons
 from .tabbed_dashboard import load_tabbed_dashboard
-from .utils import load_from_configs
+from .utils import load_examples_from_configs
 from .world_bank import load_world_bank_health_n_pop
diff --git a/superset/examples/utils.py b/superset/examples/utils.py
index 66ca811df2d35..4fc3feb1b59d5 100644
--- a/superset/examples/utils.py
+++ b/superset/examples/utils.py
@@ -18,14 +18,21 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
+import yaml
 from pkg_resources import resource_isdir, resource_listdir, resource_stream
 
 from superset.commands.importers.v1.examples import ImportExamplesCommand
+from superset.commands.importers.v1.utils import METADATA_FILE_NAME
 
 YAML_EXTENSIONS = {".yaml", ".yml"}
 
 
-def load_from_configs(force_data: bool = False, load_test_data: bool = False) -> None:
+def load_examples_from_configs(
+    force_data: bool = False, load_test_data: bool = False
+) -> None:
+    """
+    Load all the examples inside superset/examples/configs/.
+    """
     contents = load_contents(load_test_data)
     command = ImportExamplesCommand(contents, overwrite=True, force_data=force_data)
     command.run()
@@ -55,3 +62,32 @@ def load_contents(load_test_data: bool = False) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             )
 
     return {str(path.relative_to(root)): content for path, content in contents.items()}
+
+
+def load_configs_from_directory(
+    root: Path, overwrite: bool = True, force_data: bool = False
+) -> None:
+    """
+    Load all the examples from a given directory.
+    """
+    contents: Dict[str, str] = {}
+    queue = [root]
+    while queue:
+        path_name = queue.pop()
+        if path_name.is_dir():
+            queue.extend(path_name.glob("*"))
+        elif path_name.suffix.lower() in YAML_EXTENSIONS:
+            with open(path_name) as fp:
+                contents[str(path_name.relative_to(root))] = fp.read()
+
+    # removing "type" from the metadata allows us to import any exported model
+    # from the unzipped directory directly
+    metadata = yaml.load(contents.get(METADATA_FILE_NAME, "{}"))
+    if "type" in metadata:
+        del metadata["type"]
+    contents[METADATA_FILE_NAME] = yaml.dump(metadata)
+
+    command = ImportExamplesCommand(
+        contents, overwrite=overwrite, force_data=force_data
+    )
+    command.run()