diff --git a/src/lib/ebus/message.cpp b/src/lib/ebus/message.cpp
index 40d6a907..4be00434 100644
--- a/src/lib/ebus/message.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/ebus/message.cpp
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ Message::Message(const string& circuit, const string& level, const string& name,
     setScanMessage();
     m_pollPriority = 0;
   }
+  time(&m_createTime);
 }
 
 Message::Message(const string& circuit, const string& level, const string& name,
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ Message::Message(const string& circuit, const string& level, const string& name,
       m_pollPriority(0),
       m_usedByCondition(false), m_isScanMessage(true), m_condition(nullptr),
       m_lastUpdateTime(0), m_lastChangeTime(0), m_pollOrder(0), m_lastPollTime(0) {
+  time(&m_createTime);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ebus/message.h b/src/lib/ebus/message.h
index 16d34c30..353267fc 100644
--- a/src/lib/ebus/message.h
+++ b/src/lib/ebus/message.h
@@ -511,6 +511,12 @@ class Message : public AttributedItem {
    */
   const SlaveSymbolString& getLastSlaveData() const { return m_lastSlaveData; }
 
+  /**
+   * Get the time when this message was created.
+   * @return the time when this message was created.
+   */
+  time_t getCreateTime() const { return m_createTime; }
+
   /**
    * Get the time when this message was last seen with reasonable data.
    * @return the time when this message was last seen, or 0.
@@ -643,6 +649,9 @@ class Message : public AttributedItem {
   /** the last seen @a SlaveSymbolString. */
   SlaveSymbolString m_lastSlaveData;
 
+  /** the system time when the message was created. */
+  time_t m_createTime;
+
   /** the system time when the message was last updated, 0 for never. */
   time_t m_lastUpdateTime;