diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/tests/DatabaseImpl.spec.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/tests/DatabaseImpl.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e86cd7f74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/tests/DatabaseImpl.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import tk from "timekeeper"
+
+import { DatabaseImpl } from ".."
+
+import { generator, structures } from "../../../../tests"
+
+const initialTime = new Date()
+tk.freeze(initialTime)
+
+describe("DatabaseImpl", () => {
+  const db = new DatabaseImpl(structures.db.id())
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    tk.freeze(initialTime)
+  })
+
+  describe("put", () => {
+    it("persists createdAt and updatedAt fields", async () => {
+      const id = generator.guid()
+      await db.put({ _id: id })
+
+      expect(await db.get(id)).toEqual({
+        _id: id,
+        _rev: expect.any(String),
+        createdAt: initialTime.toISOString(),
+        updatedAt: initialTime.toISOString(),
+      })
+    })
+
+    it("updates updated at fields", async () => {
+      const id = generator.guid()
+
+      await db.put({ _id: id })
+      tk.travel(100)
+
+      await db.put({ ...(await db.get(id)), newValue: 123 })
+
+      expect(await db.get(id)).toEqual({
+        _id: id,
+        _rev: expect.any(String),
+        newValue: 123,
+        createdAt: initialTime.toISOString(),
+        updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})