diff --git a/src/zotero_kb/api.py b/src/zotero_kb/api.py
index 30e346c..c95bdc2 100644
--- a/src/zotero_kb/api.py
+++ b/src/zotero_kb/api.py
@@ -135,22 +135,28 @@ def create_app(
         else:
             item_keys = [str(value) for value in payload.item_keys]
 
-        project_payload = _read_json(project_file)
-        llm_payload = project_payload.get("llm", {})
-        try:
-            resolved_client = llm_client or create_card_generation_client(
-                str(llm_payload.get("provider", "deterministic")),
-                str(llm_payload.get("model", "deterministic")),
-            )
-        except ValueError as exc:
-            raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail=str(exc)) from exc
-
-        builder = CardBuilder(config.workspace_dir, resolved_client)
         items = reader.read_items(item_keys)
-        imported_keys = []
+
+        # Write item metadata to items.json without generating cards
+        items_index_path = config.workspace_dir / "library" / "index" / "items.json"
+        items_index = project_service._read_json(items_index_path)
+
         for item in items:
-            builder.build_or_update(item)
-            imported_keys.append(item.item_key)
+            items_index[item.item_key] = {
+                "item_key": item.item_key,
+                "title": item.title,
+                "creators": item.creators,
+                "year": item.year,
+                "item_type": item.item_type,
+                "abstract": item.abstract,
+                "tags": item.tags,
+                "collection_paths": item.collection_paths,
+                "attachment_status": "ok" if item.attachment_texts else "missing",
+            }
+
+        project_service._write_json(items_index_path, items_index)
+
+        imported_keys = [item.item_key for item in items]
         project_view = project_service.add_items(project_id, imported_keys)
         return {"project_id": project_id, "imported_item_keys": imported_keys, "project_view": project_view}
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index bd0c644..7acede6 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ def test_import_state_endpoint_shows_pending_when_no_card(tmp_path: Path) -> Non
     assert payload["done_count"] == 0
 
 
-def test_import_state_endpoint_shows_done_when_card_exists(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+def test_import_state_endpoint_shows_pending_after_import(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """After import_item_keys, card_status should be pending (cards generated separately)."""
     app = create_app(make_test_config(tmp_path), llm_client=FakeLlmClient())
     create_project = _route(app, "/api/projects", "POST")
     import_keys = _route(app, "/api/projects/{project_id}/imports/item-keys", "POST")
@@ -217,6 +218,46 @@ def test_import_state_endpoint_shows_done_when_card_exists(tmp_path: Path) -> No
     assert payload["project_id"] == "thesis-ch2"
     assert len(payload["items"]) == 1
     assert payload["items"][0]["item_key"] == "PAPER0001"
-    assert payload["items"][0]["card_status"] == "done"
-    assert payload["pending_count"] == 0
-    assert payload["done_count"] == 1
+    assert payload["items"][0]["card_status"] == "pending"
+    assert payload["pending_count"] == 1
+    assert payload["done_count"] == 0
+
+
+def test_import_item_keys_does_not_generate_cards(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """import_item_keys should only register items, not generate cards."""
+    config = make_test_config(tmp_path)
+    config.bridge_file.unlink()
+    app = create_app(config, llm_client=FakeLlmClient())
+    create_project = _route(app, "/api/projects", "POST")
+    import_keys = _route(app, "/api/projects/{project_id}/imports/item-keys", "POST")
+
+    create_project(
+        CreateProjectRequest(
+            project_id="thesis-ch2",
+            name="Thesis Chapter 2",
+            llm_provider="openai",
+            llm_model="gpt-5-mini",
+        )
+    )
+
+    import_keys("thesis-ch2", {"item_keys": ["PAPER0001"]})
+
+    # Verify item was added to selected-items.json
+    selected_items_path = tmp_path / "workspace" / "projects" / "thesis-ch2" / "selected-items.json"
+    selected_items = json.loads(selected_items_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert "PAPER0001" in selected_items
+
+    # Verify item metadata was written to items.json
+    items_index_path = tmp_path / "workspace" / "library" / "index" / "items.json"
+    items_index = json.loads(items_index_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert "PAPER0001" in items_index
+    assert items_index["PAPER0001"]["title"] == "Card Pipelines for Research Writing"
+
+    # Verify NO card was generated (cards.json should not have PAPER0001)
+    cards_index_path = tmp_path / "workspace" / "library" / "index" / "cards.json"
+    if cards_index_path.exists():
+        cards_index = json.loads(cards_index_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        assert "PAPER0001" not in cards_index
+    else:
+        # File not existing means no cards were generated, which is expected
+        pass