diff --git a/script/bulk_import/discourse_merger.rb b/script/bulk_import/discourse_merger.rb
index 61106e6bf35..75d65bcd40d 100644
--- a/script/bulk_import/discourse_merger.rb
+++ b/script/bulk_import/discourse_merger.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 require_relative "base"
 
+raise "This importer needs to be updated from using PostUpload to UploadReference"
+
 class BulkImport::DiscourseMerger < BulkImport::Base
   NOW ||= "now()"
   CUSTOM_FIELDS = %w[category group post topic user]
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/bbpress.rb b/script/import_scripts/bbpress.rb
index 4864ba6b94f..9fa95b0c50c 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/bbpress.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/bbpress.rb
@@ -310,9 +310,7 @@ class ImportScripts::Bbpress < ImportScripts::Base
               if !post.raw[html]
                 post.raw << "\n\n" << html
                 post.save!
-                unless PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upload).exists?
-                  PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upload)
-                end
+                UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upload.id], target: post)
               end
             end
           end
@@ -360,9 +358,7 @@ class ImportScripts::Bbpress < ImportScripts::Base
               if !post.raw[html]
                 post.raw << "\n\n" << html
                 post.save!
-                unless PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upload).exists?
-                  PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upload)
-                end
+                UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upload.id], target: post)
               end
             end
           end
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/higher_logic.rb b/script/import_scripts/higher_logic.rb
index 06820311264..2090d03d0f8 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/higher_logic.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/higher_logic.rb
@@ -189,9 +189,7 @@ class ImportScripts::HigherLogic < ImportScripts::Base
 
               post.raw << "\n\n" << html
               post.save!
-              unless PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upload).exists?
-                PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upload)
-              end
+              UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upload.id], target: post)
             end
           end
         end
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/phorum.rb b/script/import_scripts/phorum.rb
index f03db50ea42..d76393fc014 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/phorum.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/phorum.rb
@@ -270,10 +270,10 @@ class ImportScripts::Phorum < ImportScripts::Base
         if !post.raw[html]
           post.raw += "\n\n#{html}\n\n"
           post.save!
-          if PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upl_obj).exists?
+          if UploadReference.where(target: post, upload: upl_obj).exists?
             puts "skipping creating uploaded for previously uploaded file #{upload["file_id"]}"
           else
-            PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upl_obj)
+            UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upl_obj.id], target: post)
           end
           # PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upl_obj) unless PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upl_obj).exists?
         else
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/smf1.rb b/script/import_scripts/smf1.rb
index 5d601f2fa2e..641d33862ea 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/smf1.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/smf1.rb
@@ -452,10 +452,10 @@ class ImportScripts::Smf1 < ImportScripts::Base
 
         if upload = create_upload(post.user_id, path, u["filename"])
           html = html_for_upload(upload, u["filename"])
-          unless post.raw[html] || PostUpload.where(upload: upload, post: post).exists?
+          unless post.raw[html] || UploadReference.where(upload: upload, target: post).exists?
             post.raw += "\n\n#{html}\n\n"
             post.save
-            PostUpload.create(upload: upload, post: post)
+            UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upload.id], target: post)
           end
         end
 
diff --git a/script/import_scripts/vbulletin5.rb b/script/import_scripts/vbulletin5.rb
index af62c0a6bb2..187ae262d4a 100644
--- a/script/import_scripts/vbulletin5.rb
+++ b/script/import_scripts/vbulletin5.rb
@@ -439,9 +439,7 @@ class ImportScripts::VBulletin < ImportScripts::Base
         if !post.raw[html]
           post.raw += "\n\n#{html}\n\n"
           post.save!
-          unless PostUpload.where(post: post, upload: upl_obj).exists?
-            PostUpload.create!(post: post, upload: upl_obj)
-          end
+          UploadReference.ensure_exist!(upload_ids: [upl_obj.id], target: post)
         end
       else
         puts "Fail"