diff --git a/dataimporter/importer.py b/dataimporter/importer.py
index 1bc68e8..ebe6de8 100644
--- a/dataimporter/importer.py
+++ b/dataimporter/importer.py
@@ -192,10 +192,13 @@ def queue_changes(self, records: Iterable[SourceRecord], db_name: str):
             for view in views:
                 view.queue(batch)
 
-    def queue_emu_changes(self):
+    def queue_emu_changes(self, only_one: bool = False):
         """
         Look for new EMu dumps, upsert the records into the appropriate DataDB and then
         queue the changes into the derived views.
+
+        :param only_one: if True, only process the first set of dumps and then return,
+                         otherwise, process them all (default: False)
         """
         last_queued = self.emu_status.get()
         dumps = find_emu_dumps(self.config.dumps_path, after=last_queued)
@@ -232,6 +235,9 @@ def queue_emu_changes(self):
             # we've handled all the dumps from this date, update the last date stored on
             # disk in case we fail later to avoid redoing work
             self.emu_status.update(dump_date)
+            # stop if necessary
+            if only_one:
+                break
 
     def queue_gbif_changes(self):
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_importer.py b/tests/test_importer.py
index 84bd59f..483095e 100644
--- a/tests/test_importer.py
+++ b/tests/test_importer.py
@@ -209,6 +209,51 @@ def test_queue_emu_changes(self, config: Config):
         assert importer.views["image"].changes.size() == 4
         assert importer.views["mss"].changes.size() == 4
 
+    def test_queue_emu_changes_only_one(self, config: Config):
+        importer = DataImporter(config)
+
+        first_dump_date = date(2023, 10, 3)
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path,
+            "ecatalogue",
+            first_dump_date,
+            create_ecatalogue("1", EcatalogueType.specimen),
+        )
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path, "emultimedia", first_dump_date, create_emultimedia("1")
+        )
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path, "etaxonomy", first_dump_date, create_etaxonomy("1")
+        )
+
+        importer.queue_emu_changes(only_one=True)
+
+        assert importer.emu_status.get() == first_dump_date
+        assert importer.dbs["ecatalogue"].size() == 1
+        assert importer.dbs["emultimedia"].size() == 1
+        assert importer.dbs["etaxonomy"].size() == 1
+
+        second_dump_date = date(2023, 10, 4)
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path,
+            "ecatalogue",
+            second_dump_date,
+            create_ecatalogue("2", EcatalogueType.specimen),
+        )
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path, "emultimedia", second_dump_date, create_emultimedia("2")
+        )
+        create_dump(
+            config.dumps_path, "etaxonomy", second_dump_date, create_etaxonomy("2")
+        )
+
+        importer.queue_emu_changes(only_one=True)
+
+        assert importer.emu_status.get() == second_dump_date
+        assert importer.dbs["ecatalogue"].size() == 2
+        assert importer.dbs["emultimedia"].size() == 2
+        assert importer.dbs["etaxonomy"].size() == 2
+
     def test_queue_gbif_changes(self, config: Config):
         gbif_records = [
             SourceRecord("1", {"x": "1"}, "gbif"),