diff --git a/guix/import/crate.scm b/guix/import/crate.scm
index 4c3f8000d0..405a26a877 100644
--- a/guix/import/crate.scm
+++ b/guix/import/crate.scm
@@ -231,10 +231,13 @@ (define version*
                                             string->license))
           (append cargo-inputs cargo-development-inputs)))))
 
-(define (crate-recursive-import crate-name)
+(define* (crate-recursive-import crate-name #:optional version)
   (recursive-import crate-name #f
-                    #:repo->guix-package (lambda (name repo)
-                                           (crate->guix-package name))
+                    #:repo->guix-package
+                    (lambda (name repo)
+                      (let ((version (and (string=? name crate-name)
+                                          version)))
+                        (crate->guix-package name version)))
                     #:guix-name crate-name->package-name))
 
 (define (guix-package->crate-name package)
diff --git a/guix/scripts/import/crate.scm b/guix/scripts/import/crate.scm
index 92034dab3c..d834518c18 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/import/crate.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/import/crate.scm
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ (define-values (name version)
                    `(define-public ,(string->symbol name)
                       ,pkg))
                   (_ #f))
-                (crate-recursive-import name))
+                (crate-recursive-import name version))
            (let ((sexp (crate->guix-package name version)))
              (unless sexp
                (leave (G_ "failed to download meta-data for package '~a'~%")