diff --git a/CRM/Utils/DeprecatedUtils.php b/CRM/Utils/DeprecatedUtils.php
index 934a175d1f9e..d720fb1ffec9 100644
--- a/CRM/Utils/DeprecatedUtils.php
+++ b/CRM/Utils/DeprecatedUtils.php
@@ -484,7 +484,9 @@ function _civicrm_api3_deprecated_check_contact_dedupe($params) {
     if ($field == NULL || $field === '') {
       continue;
     }
-    if (is_array($field)) {
+    // CRM-17040, Considering only primary contact when importing contributions. So contribution inserts into primary contact
+    // instead of soft credit contact.
+    if (is_array($field) && $key != "soft_credit") {
       foreach ($field as $value) {
         $break = FALSE;
         if (is_array($value)) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contribute/Import/Parser/ContributionTest.php b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contribute/Import/Parser/ContributionTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..303bdd11138e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contribute/Import/Parser/ContributionTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * @file
+ * File for the CRM_Contribute_Import_Parser_ContributionTest class.
+ */
+/**
+ *  Test Contribution import parser.
+ *
+ * @package CiviCRM
+ * @group headless
+ */
+class CRM_Contribute_Import_Parser_ContributionTest extends CiviUnitTestCase {
+  protected $_tablesToTruncate = array();
+  /**
+   * Setup function.
+   */
+  public function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+  }
+  /**
+   * Test import parser will add contribution and soft contribution each for different contact.
+   *
+   * In this case primary contact and secondary contact both are identified by external identifier.
+   *
+   * @throws \Exception
+   */
+  public function testImportParserWithSoftCreditsByExternalIdentifier() {
+    $contact1Params = array(
+      'first_name' => 'Contact',
+      'last_name' => 'One',
+      'external_identifier' => 'ext-1',
+      'contact_type' => 'Individual',
+    );
+    $contact2Params = array(
+      'first_name' => 'Contact',
+      'last_name' => 'Two',
+      'external_identifier' => 'ext-2',
+      'contact_type' => 'Individual',
+    );
+    $contact1Id = $this->individualCreate($contact1Params);
+    $contact2Id = $this->individualCreate($contact2Params);
+    $values = array(
+      "total_amount" => 10,
+      "financial_type" => "Donation",
+      "external_identifier" => "ext-1",
+      "soft_credit" => "ext-2",
+    );
+    $mapperSoftCredit = array(NULL, NULL, NULL, "external_identifier");
+    $mapperSoftCreditType = array(NULL, NULL, NULL, "1");
+    $this->runImport($values, CRM_Import_Parser::DUPLICATE_UPDATE, CRM_Contribute_Import_Parser::SOFT_CREDIT, $mapperSoftCredit, NULL, $mapperSoftCreditType);
+    $params = array(
+      "contact_id" => $contact1Id,
+    );
+    $values = array();
+    $contributionsOfMainContact = CRM_Contribute_BAO_Contribution::retrieve($params, $values, $values);
+    $params["contact_id"] = $contact2Id;
+    $contributionsOfSoftContact = CRM_Contribute_BAO_ContributionSoft::retrieve($params, $values);
+    $this->assertEquals(1, count($contributionsOfMainContact), 'Contribution not added for primary contact');
+    $this->assertEquals(1, count($contributionsOfSoftContact), 'Soft Contribution not added for secondary contact');
+  }
+  /**
+   * Run the import parser.
+   *
+   * @param array $originalValues
+   *
+   * @param int $onDuplicateAction
+   * @param int $expectedResult
+   * @param array|null $mapperSoftCredit
+   * @param array|null $mapperPhoneType
+   * @param array|null $mapperSoftCreditType
+   * @param array|null $fields
+   *   Array of field names. Will be calculated from $originalValues if not passed in.
+   */
+  protected function runImport($originalValues, $onDuplicateAction, $expectedResult, $mapperSoftCredit = NULL, $mapperPhoneType = NULL, $mapperSoftCreditType = NULL, $fields = NULL) {
+    if (!$fields) {
+      $fields = array_keys($originalValues);
+    }
+    $values = array_values($originalValues);
+    $parser = new CRM_Contribute_Import_Parser_Contribution($fields, $mapperSoftCredit, $mapperPhoneType, $mapperSoftCreditType);
+    $parser->_contactType = 'Individual';
+    $parser->init();
+    $this->assertEquals($expectedResult, $parser->import($onDuplicateAction, $values), 'Return code from parser import was not as expected');
+  }
+
+}