diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
index feeba6061e..61fbb3d61e 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
@@ -308,8 +308,12 @@ export class DatabaseImpl implements Database {
   }
 
   async bulkDocs(documents: AnyDocument[]) {
+    const now = new Date().toISOString()
     return this.performCall(db => {
-      return () => db.bulk({ docs: documents })
+      return () =>
+        db.bulk({
+          docs: documents.map(d => ({ createdAt: now, ...d, updatedAt: now })),
+        })
     })
   }