diff --git a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_chains.erl b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_chains.erl
index 0d668bc20..f79afab29 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_chains.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_chains.erl
@@ -310,7 +310,11 @@ reorder_authenticator(_ChainName, []) ->
 reorder_authenticator(ChainName, AuthenticatorIDs) ->
     call({reorder_authenticator, ChainName, AuthenticatorIDs}).
 
--spec import_users(chain_name(), authenticator_id(), {binary(), binary()}) ->
+-spec import_users(
+    chain_name(),
+    authenticator_id(),
+    {plain | hash, prepared_user_list | binary(), binary()}
+) ->
     ok | {error, term()}.
 import_users(ChainName, AuthenticatorID, Filename) ->
     call({import_users, ChainName, AuthenticatorID, Filename}).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_provider.erl b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_provider.erl
index 3898d0bc4..897f6a288 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_provider.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_provider.erl
@@ -53,11 +53,14 @@ when
 when
     State :: state().
 
--callback import_users({Filename, FileData}, State) ->
+-callback import_users({PasswordType, Filename, FileData}, State) ->
     ok
     | {error, term()}
 when
-    Filename :: binary(), FileData :: binary(), State :: state().
+    PasswordType :: plain | hash,
+    Filename :: prepared_user_list | binary(),
+    FileData :: binary(),
+    State :: state().
 
 -callback add_user(UserInfo, State) ->
     {ok, User}
diff --git a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_user_import_api.erl b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_user_import_api.erl
index 6986c52c2..f45923756 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_user_import_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auth/src/emqx_authn/emqx_authn_user_import_api.erl
@@ -195,7 +195,9 @@ param_password_type() ->
             }
         )}.
 
-password_type(_Req = #{query_string := #{<<"type">> := Type}}) ->
-    binary_to_existing_atom(Type);
+password_type(_Req = #{query_string := #{<<"type">> := <<"plain">>}}) ->
+    plain;
+password_type(_Req = #{query_string := #{<<"type">> := <<"hash">>}}) ->
+    hash;
 password_type(_) ->
     hash.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/test/emqx_authn_mnesia_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/test/emqx_authn_mnesia_SUITE.erl
index 80e6789d9..43b20c4fa 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/test/emqx_authn_mnesia_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/test/emqx_authn_mnesia_SUITE.erl
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ t_import_users(_) ->
     ?assertMatch(
         {error, {unsupported_file_format, _}},
         emqx_authn_mnesia:import_users(
-            {<<"/file/with/unknown.extension">>, <<>>},
+            {hash, <<"/file/with/unknown.extension">>, <<>>},
             State
         )
     ),
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ t_import_users(_) ->
     ?assertEqual(
         {error, unknown_file_format},
         emqx_authn_mnesia:import_users(
-            {<<"/file/with/no/extension">>, <<>>},
+            {hash, <<"/file/with/no/extension">>, <<>>},
             State
         )
     ),
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ sample_filename(Name) ->
 sample_filename_and_data(Name) ->
     Filename = sample_filename(Name),
     {ok, Data} = file:read_file(Filename),
-    {Filename, Data}.
+    {hash, Filename, Data}.
 
 config() ->
     #{
diff --git a/apps/emqx_gateway/src/emqx_gateway_api_authn_user_import.erl b/apps/emqx_gateway/src/emqx_gateway_api_authn_user_import.erl
index 321b145ac..6089b70db 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_gateway/src/emqx_gateway_api_authn_user_import.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_gateway/src/emqx_gateway_api_authn_user_import.erl
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ import_users(post, #{
                 [{FileName, FileData}] = maps:to_list(maps:without([type], File)),
                 case
                     emqx_authn_chains:import_users(
-                        ChainName, AuthId, {FileName, FileData}
+                        ChainName, AuthId, {hash, FileName, FileData}
                     )
                 of
                     ok -> {204};
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ import_listener_users(post, #{
                     [{FileName, FileData}] = maps:to_list(maps:without([type], File)),
                     case
                         emqx_authn_chains:import_users(
-                            ChainName, AuthId, {FileName, FileData}
+                            ChainName, AuthId, {hash, FileName, FileData}
                         )
                     of
                         ok -> {204};