diff --git a/beets/importer/tasks.py b/beets/importer/tasks.py
index e56157ed0..586ef455a 100644
--- a/beets/importer/tasks.py
+++ b/beets/importer/tasks.py
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ import logging
 import os
 import re
 import shutil
+import subprocess
 import time
 from collections import defaultdict
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from enum import Enum
+from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
@@ -1077,6 +1079,12 @@ class ImportTaskFactory:
         If an item cannot be read, return `None` instead and log an
         error.
         """
+
+        # Check if the file has an extention,
+        # Add an extention if there isn't one.
+        if os.path.isfile(path):
+            path = self.check_extension(path)
+
         try:
             return library.Item.from_path(path)
         except library.ReadError as exc:
@@ -1090,6 +1098,102 @@ class ImportTaskFactory:
                     "error reading {}: {}", util.displayable_path(path), exc
                 )
 
+    def check_extension(self, path: util.PathBytes):
+        path = Path(path.decode("utf-8"))
+        # if there is an extension, ignore
+        if path.suffix != "":
+            return path
+
+        # no extension detexted
+        # use ffprobe to find the format
+        formats = []
+        output = subprocess.run(
+            [
+                "ffprobe",
+                "-hide_banner",
+                "-loglevel",
+                "fatal",
+                "-show_format",
+                path,
+            ],
+            capture_output=True,
+        )
+        out = output.stdout.decode("utf-8")
+        err = output.stderr.decode("utf-8")
+        if err != "":
+            log.error("ffprobe error\n", err)
+        for line in out.split("\n"):
+            if line.startswith("format_name="):
+                formats = line.split("=")[1].split(",")
+        # a list of audio formats I got from wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_file_format
+        wiki_formats = [
+            "3gp",
+            "aa",
+            "aac",
+            "aax",
+            "act",
+            "aiff",
+            "alac",
+            "amr",
+            "ape",
+            "au",
+            "awb",
+            "dss",
+            "dvf",
+            "flac",
+            "gsm",
+            "iklax",
+            "ivs",
+            "m4a",
+            "m4b",
+            "m4p",
+            "mmf",
+            "movpkg",
+            "mp1",
+            "mp2",
+            "mp3",
+            "mpc",
+            "msv",
+            "nmf",
+            "ogg",
+            "oga",
+            "mogg",
+            "opus",
+            "ra",
+            "rm",
+            "raw",
+            "rf64",
+            "sln",
+            "tta",
+            "voc",
+            "vox",
+            "wav",
+            "wma",
+            "wv",
+            "webm",
+            "8svx",
+            "cda",
+        ]
+        format = ""
+        # The first format from ffprobe that is on this list is taken
+        for f in formats:
+            if f in wiki_formats:
+                format = f
+                break
+
+        # if ffprobe can't find a format, the file is prob not music
+        if format == "":
+            return path
+
+        # cp and add ext. If already exist, use that file
+        # assume, for example, the only diff between 'asdf.mp3' and 'asdf' is format
+        new_path = path.with_suffix("." + format)
+        if not new_path.exists():
+            util.copy(path, new_path)
+        else:
+            log.info("Import file with matching format to original target")
+        return new_path
+
 
 MULTIDISC_MARKERS = (rb"dis[ck]", rb"cd")
 MULTIDISC_PAT_FMT = rb"^(.*%s[\W_]*)\d"
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 2354e6539..8168b33c7 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ New features
   :bug:`2661`
 - :doc:`plugins/play`: Added ``-R``/``--randomize`` flag to shuffle the playlist
   order before passing it to the player.
+- Use ffprobe to recognize format of any import music file that has no
+  extension. If the file cannot be recognized as a music file, leave it alone.
+  :bug:`4881`
 
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/test/rsrc/no_ext b/test/rsrc/no_ext
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fed8dc601
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/rsrc/no_ext differ
diff --git a/test/rsrc/no_ext_not_music b/test/rsrc/no_ext_not_music
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index 1a8983c11..7de432266 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -351,6 +351,34 @@ class ImportTest(PathsMixin, AutotagImportTestCase):
         self.prepare_album_for_import(1)
         self.setup_importer()
 
+    def test_recognize_format(self):
+        resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"no_ext")
+        self.setup_importer()
+        self.importer.paths = [resource_path]
+        self.importer.run()
+        assert self.lib.items().get().path.endswith(b".mp3")
+        util.remove(os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"no_ext.mp3"))
+
+    def test_recognize_format_already_exist(self):
+        resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"no_ext")
+        new_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"no_ext.mp3")
+        util.copy(resource_path, new_path)
+        self.setup_importer()
+        self.importer.paths = [resource_path]
+        self.importer.run()
+        assert self.lib.items().get().path.endswith(b".mp3")
+        with capture_log() as logs:
+            self.importer.run()
+        assert "Import file with matching format to original target" in logs
+        util.remove(new_path)
+
+    def test_recognize_format_not_music(self):
+        resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"no_ext_not_music")
+        self.setup_importer()
+        self.importer.paths = [resource_path]
+        self.importer.run()
+        assert len(self.lib.items()) == 0
+
     def test_asis_moves_album_and_track(self):
         self.importer.add_choice(importer.Action.ASIS)
         self.importer.run()