diff --git a/src/documents/export/compression.py b/src/documents/export/compression.py
index 2572a225f..89b311f1b 100644
--- a/src/documents/export/compression.py
+++ b/src/documents/export/compression.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def compression_available(method: str) -> bool:
         return _module_importable("lzma")
     if method == "zstd":
         return ZSTD is not None and _module_importable("compression.zstd")
-    return False
+    return False  # pragma: no cover -- method is always one of COMPRESSION_CHOICES
 
 
 def _module_importable(name: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/export/test_compression.py b/src/documents/tests/export/test_compression.py
index 584d6a66a..65ae859b9 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/export/test_compression.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/export/test_compression.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import sys
 import zipfile
 
 import pytest
+import pytest_mock
 
 from documents.export import compression
 
@@ -69,6 +70,25 @@ class TestCompressionMethods:
         expected: bool = sys.version_info >= (3, 14)
         assert compression.compression_available("zstd") == expected
 
+    def test_unimportable_module_reports_unavailable(
+        self,
+        mocker: pytest_mock.MockerFixture,
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - A compression method whose backing module fails to import
+              (e.g. a minimal Python build without bz2/lzma compiled in)
+        WHEN:
+            - Checked with compression_available()
+        THEN:
+            - False is returned rather than the ImportError propagating
+        """
+        mocker.patch(
+            "documents.export.compression.importlib.import_module",
+            side_effect=ImportError,
+        )
+        assert not compression.compression_available("bzip2")
+
 
 class TestLevelError:
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py b/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
index 21c83d18a..2ffded5e6 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
@@ -1182,6 +1182,35 @@ class TestExportImport(
             )
         self.assertIn("3.14", str(e.exception))
 
+    def test_non_zstd_unavailable_raises_generic_error(self) -> None:
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - A Python runtime missing the module backing a non-zstd method
+              (e.g. bz2/lzma not compiled in on a minimal build)
+        WHEN:
+            - That method is requested via --zip-compression
+        THEN:
+            - A CommandError is raised naming the method, not the
+              zstd-specific "requires 3.14" message
+        """
+        with (
+            mock.patch(
+                "documents.management.commands.document_exporter.compression_available",
+                return_value=False,
+            ),
+            self.assertRaises(CommandError) as e,
+        ):
+            call_command(
+                "document_exporter",
+                self.target,
+                "--zip",
+                "--zip-compression",
+                "bzip2",
+                skip_checks=True,
+            )
+        self.assertIn("bzip2", str(e.exception))
+        self.assertNotIn("3.14", str(e.exception))
+
     def test_zip_compression_flag_resolves_to_sink_constant(self) -> None:
         """
         GIVEN:
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_management_importer.py b/src/documents/tests/test_management_importer.py
index 243de9d64..bd74e7a16 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_management_importer.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_management_importer.py
@@ -554,6 +554,42 @@ class TestCommandImport(
                 )
         self.assertIn("compression", str(e.exception))
 
+    def test_import_rejects_unreadable_zstd_with_version_hint(self) -> None:
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - A zip archive with an entry compressed with zstd
+        WHEN:
+            - Import is attempted on a Python runtime that can't read zstd
+        THEN:
+            - The CommandError names the 3.14+ requirement, not just the
+              generic "can't read" message
+        """
+        import zipfile
+        from unittest import mock
+
+        archive = Path(self.dirs.scratch_dir) / "export.zip"
+        with zipfile.ZipFile(archive, "w") as zf:
+            zf.writestr("manifest.json", "[]")
+
+        with (
+            mock.patch(
+                "documents.management.commands.document_importer.compress_type_readable",
+                return_value=False,
+            ),
+            mock.patch(
+                "documents.management.commands.document_importer.unreadable_method_names",
+                return_value={"zstd"},
+            ),
+        ):
+            with self.assertRaises(CommandError) as e:
+                call_command(
+                    "document_importer",
+                    str(archive),
+                    "--no-progress-bar",
+                    skip_checks=True,
+                )
+        self.assertIn("3.14", str(e.exception))
+
 
 @pytest.mark.management
 @pytest.mark.django_db