diff --git a/protobuffersrc/Alerts.proto b/protobuffersrc/Alerts.proto
index 5b0c5214..8147374e 100644
--- a/protobuffersrc/Alerts.proto
+++ b/protobuffersrc/Alerts.proto
@@ -32,4 +32,5 @@ message Alert {
     AlertSeverity severity = 2;
     string message = 3;
     map<string, string> params = 4;
+    int64 timestamp = 5;
 }
diff --git a/services/alerts/publish.go b/services/alerts/publish.go
index 10bcccc4..c33b4f08 100644
--- a/services/alerts/publish.go
+++ b/services/alerts/publish.go
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ package alerts
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
 	zmq "github.com/pebbe/zmq4"
 	"github.com/untangle/golang-shared/services/logger"
 	"github.com/untangle/golang-shared/structs/protocolbuffers/Alerts"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
-	"sync"
 )
 
 var alertPublisherSingleton *ZmqAlertPublisher
@@ -81,6 +83,11 @@ func (publisher *ZmqAlertPublisher) Shutdown() error {
 
 // Send publishes the alert to on the ZMQ publishing socket.
 func (publisher *ZmqAlertPublisher) Send(alert *Alerts.Alert) {
+	// 2 reasons to set the timestamp here:
+	// - the caller isn't responsible for setting the timestamp so we just need to set it in one place (here)
+	// - we set it before putting it in queue, which means we have the timestamp of the alert creation, not the timestamp when it was processed
+	alert.Timestamp = time.Now().Unix()
+
 	logger.Debug("Publish alert %v\n", alert)
 	alertMessage, err := proto.Marshal(alert)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/structs/protocolbuffers/Alerts/Alerts.pb.go b/structs/protocolbuffers/Alerts/Alerts.pb.go
index 0a55045c..f82e824e 100644
--- a/structs/protocolbuffers/Alerts/Alerts.pb.go
+++ b/structs/protocolbuffers/Alerts/Alerts.pb.go
@@ -156,10 +156,11 @@ type Alert struct {
 	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
 	unknownFields protoimpl.UnknownFields
 
-	Type     AlertType         `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=type,proto3,enum=alerts.AlertType" json:"type,omitempty"`
-	Severity AlertSeverity     `protobuf:"varint,2,opt,name=severity,proto3,enum=alerts.AlertSeverity" json:"severity,omitempty"`
-	Message  string            `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=message,proto3" json:"message,omitempty"`
-	Params   map[string]string `protobuf:"bytes,4,rep,name=params,proto3" json:"params,omitempty" protobuf_key:"bytes,1,opt,name=key,proto3" protobuf_val:"bytes,2,opt,name=value,proto3"`
+	Type      AlertType         `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=type,proto3,enum=alerts.AlertType" json:"type,omitempty"`
+	Severity  AlertSeverity     `protobuf:"varint,2,opt,name=severity,proto3,enum=alerts.AlertSeverity" json:"severity,omitempty"`
+	Message   string            `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=message,proto3" json:"message,omitempty"`
+	Params    map[string]string `protobuf:"bytes,4,rep,name=params,proto3" json:"params,omitempty" protobuf_key:"bytes,1,opt,name=key,proto3" protobuf_val:"bytes,2,opt,name=value,proto3"`
+	Timestamp int64             `protobuf:"varint,5,opt,name=timestamp,proto3" json:"timestamp,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (x *Alert) Reset() {
@@ -222,11 +223,18 @@ func (x *Alert) GetParams() map[string]string {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (x *Alert) GetTimestamp() int64 {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.Timestamp
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
 var File_Alerts_proto protoreflect.FileDescriptor
 
 var file_Alerts_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
 	0x0a, 0x0c, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x2e, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x12, 0x06,
-	0x61, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x22, 0xe9, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74,
+	0x61, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x22, 0x87, 0x02, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74,
 	0x12, 0x25, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x74, 0x79, 0x70, 0x65, 0x18, 0x01, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x0e, 0x32, 0x11,
 	0x2e, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x2e, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x54, 0x79, 0x70,
 	0x65, 0x52, 0x04, 0x74, 0x79, 0x70, 0x65, 0x12, 0x31, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x73, 0x65, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72,
@@ -237,31 +245,33 @@ var file_Alerts_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
 	0x73, 0x61, 0x67, 0x65, 0x12, 0x31, 0x0a, 0x06, 0x70, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x73, 0x18, 0x04,
 	0x20, 0x03, 0x28, 0x0b, 0x32, 0x19, 0x2e, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x2e, 0x41, 0x6c,
 	0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x2e, 0x50, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x73, 0x45, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x72, 0x79, 0x52,
-	0x06, 0x70, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x73, 0x1a, 0x39, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x50, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d,
-	0x73, 0x45, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x72, 0x79, 0x12, 0x10, 0x0a, 0x03, 0x6b, 0x65, 0x79, 0x18, 0x01, 0x20,
-	0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x03, 0x6b, 0x65, 0x79, 0x12, 0x14, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x76, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x75,
-	0x65, 0x18, 0x02, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x05, 0x76, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x75, 0x65, 0x3a, 0x02,
-	0x38, 0x01, 0x2a, 0xb6, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x54, 0x79, 0x70, 0x65,
-	0x12, 0x0b, 0x0a, 0x07, 0x55, 0x4e, 0x4b, 0x4e, 0x4f, 0x57, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x00, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a,
-	0x04, 0x55, 0x53, 0x45, 0x52, 0x10, 0x01, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x4c, 0x49, 0x4e, 0x4b, 0x10,
-	0x02, 0x12, 0x14, 0x0a, 0x10, 0x54, 0x48, 0x52, 0x45, 0x41, 0x54, 0x50, 0x52, 0x45, 0x56, 0x45,
-	0x4e, 0x54, 0x49, 0x4f, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x03, 0x12, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x57, 0x45, 0x42, 0x46, 0x49,
-	0x4c, 0x54, 0x45, 0x52, 0x10, 0x04, 0x12, 0x15, 0x0a, 0x11, 0x57, 0x45, 0x42, 0x43, 0x4c, 0x41,
-	0x53, 0x53, 0x49, 0x46, 0x49, 0x43, 0x41, 0x54, 0x49, 0x4f, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x05, 0x12, 0x09, 0x0a,
-	0x05, 0x47, 0x45, 0x4f, 0x49, 0x50, 0x10, 0x06, 0x12, 0x0c, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x53, 0x45, 0x54, 0x54,
-	0x49, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x53, 0x10, 0x07, 0x12, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x44, 0x49, 0x53, 0x43, 0x4f, 0x56,
-	0x45, 0x52, 0x59, 0x10, 0x08, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x44, 0x48, 0x43, 0x50, 0x10, 0x09, 0x12,
-	0x11, 0x0a, 0x0d, 0x43, 0x52, 0x49, 0x54, 0x49, 0x43, 0x41, 0x4c, 0x45, 0x52, 0x52, 0x4f, 0x52,
-	0x10, 0x0a, 0x12, 0x07, 0x0a, 0x03, 0x56, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x0b, 0x2a, 0x47, 0x0a, 0x0d, 0x41,
-	0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x53, 0x65, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72, 0x69, 0x74, 0x79, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04,
-	0x49, 0x4e, 0x46, 0x4f, 0x10, 0x00, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x57, 0x41, 0x52, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x01,
-	0x12, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x45, 0x52, 0x52, 0x4f, 0x52, 0x10, 0x02, 0x12, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x44,
-	0x45, 0x42, 0x55, 0x47, 0x10, 0x03, 0x12, 0x0c, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x43, 0x52, 0x49, 0x54, 0x49, 0x43,
-	0x41, 0x4c, 0x10, 0x04, 0x42, 0x42, 0x5a, 0x40, 0x67, 0x69, 0x74, 0x68, 0x75, 0x62, 0x2e, 0x63,
-	0x6f, 0x6d, 0x2f, 0x75, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x2f, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x6c, 0x61,
-	0x6e, 0x67, 0x2d, 0x73, 0x68, 0x61, 0x72, 0x65, 0x64, 0x2f, 0x73, 0x74, 0x72, 0x75, 0x63, 0x74,
-	0x73, 0x2f, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6c, 0x62, 0x75, 0x66, 0x66, 0x65, 0x72,
-	0x73, 0x2f, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x62, 0x06, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x33,
+	0x06, 0x70, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x73, 0x12, 0x1c, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x74, 0x69, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x73,
+	0x74, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x70, 0x18, 0x05, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x03, 0x52, 0x09, 0x74, 0x69, 0x6d, 0x65,
+	0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x70, 0x1a, 0x39, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x50, 0x61, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x73, 0x45,
+	0x6e, 0x74, 0x72, 0x79, 0x12, 0x10, 0x0a, 0x03, 0x6b, 0x65, 0x79, 0x18, 0x01, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28,
+	0x09, 0x52, 0x03, 0x6b, 0x65, 0x79, 0x12, 0x14, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x76, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x75, 0x65, 0x18,
+	0x02, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x05, 0x76, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x75, 0x65, 0x3a, 0x02, 0x38, 0x01,
+	0x2a, 0xb6, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x54, 0x79, 0x70, 0x65, 0x12, 0x0b,
+	0x0a, 0x07, 0x55, 0x4e, 0x4b, 0x4e, 0x4f, 0x57, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x00, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x55,
+	0x53, 0x45, 0x52, 0x10, 0x01, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x4c, 0x49, 0x4e, 0x4b, 0x10, 0x02, 0x12,
+	0x14, 0x0a, 0x10, 0x54, 0x48, 0x52, 0x45, 0x41, 0x54, 0x50, 0x52, 0x45, 0x56, 0x45, 0x4e, 0x54,
+	0x49, 0x4f, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x03, 0x12, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x57, 0x45, 0x42, 0x46, 0x49, 0x4c, 0x54,
+	0x45, 0x52, 0x10, 0x04, 0x12, 0x15, 0x0a, 0x11, 0x57, 0x45, 0x42, 0x43, 0x4c, 0x41, 0x53, 0x53,
+	0x49, 0x46, 0x49, 0x43, 0x41, 0x54, 0x49, 0x4f, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x05, 0x12, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x47,
+	0x45, 0x4f, 0x49, 0x50, 0x10, 0x06, 0x12, 0x0c, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x53, 0x45, 0x54, 0x54, 0x49, 0x4e,
+	0x47, 0x53, 0x10, 0x07, 0x12, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x44, 0x49, 0x53, 0x43, 0x4f, 0x56, 0x45, 0x52,
+	0x59, 0x10, 0x08, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x44, 0x48, 0x43, 0x50, 0x10, 0x09, 0x12, 0x11, 0x0a,
+	0x0d, 0x43, 0x52, 0x49, 0x54, 0x49, 0x43, 0x41, 0x4c, 0x45, 0x52, 0x52, 0x4f, 0x52, 0x10, 0x0a,
+	0x12, 0x07, 0x0a, 0x03, 0x56, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x0b, 0x2a, 0x47, 0x0a, 0x0d, 0x41, 0x6c, 0x65,
+	0x72, 0x74, 0x53, 0x65, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72, 0x69, 0x74, 0x79, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x49, 0x4e,
+	0x46, 0x4f, 0x10, 0x00, 0x12, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x04, 0x57, 0x41, 0x52, 0x4e, 0x10, 0x01, 0x12, 0x09,
+	0x0a, 0x05, 0x45, 0x52, 0x52, 0x4f, 0x52, 0x10, 0x02, 0x12, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x44, 0x45, 0x42,
+	0x55, 0x47, 0x10, 0x03, 0x12, 0x0c, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x43, 0x52, 0x49, 0x54, 0x49, 0x43, 0x41, 0x4c,
+	0x10, 0x04, 0x42, 0x42, 0x5a, 0x40, 0x67, 0x69, 0x74, 0x68, 0x75, 0x62, 0x2e, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6d,
+	0x2f, 0x75, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x2f, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x6c, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x67,
+	0x2d, 0x73, 0x68, 0x61, 0x72, 0x65, 0x64, 0x2f, 0x73, 0x74, 0x72, 0x75, 0x63, 0x74, 0x73, 0x2f,
+	0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6c, 0x62, 0x75, 0x66, 0x66, 0x65, 0x72, 0x73, 0x2f,
+	0x41, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x72, 0x74, 0x73, 0x62, 0x06, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x33,
 }
 
 var (
diff --git a/testing/mocks/credentials_manager.go b/testing/mocks/credentials_manager.go
index 4dc8d576..3f6962bc 100644
--- a/testing/mocks/credentials_manager.go
+++ b/testing/mocks/credentials_manager.go
@@ -1,16 +1,24 @@
 package mocks
 
-import "github.com/untangle/golang-shared/services/credentialsmanager"
+import (
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/mock"
+)
 
-type mockCredentialsManager struct{}
+type mockCredentialsManager struct {
+	mock.Mock
+}
 
-func NewMockCredentialsManager() credentialsmanager.CredentialsManager {
+func NewMockCredentialsManager() *mockCredentialsManager {
 	return &mockCredentialsManager{}
 }
 
-func (m *mockCredentialsManager) Startup() error             { return nil }
-func (m *mockCredentialsManager) Shutdown() error            { return nil }
-func (m *mockCredentialsManager) GetToken(key string) string { return "" }
+func (m *mockCredentialsManager) Startup() error  { return nil }
+func (m *mockCredentialsManager) Shutdown() error { return nil }
+func (m *mockCredentialsManager) GetToken(key string) string {
+	// this is required for mocking this function's call result
+	args := m.Called(key)
+	return args.String(0)
+}
 func (m *mockCredentialsManager) Name() string {
 	return "Mocked Credentials Manager"
 }