diff --git a/lbry/blob/blob_info.py b/lbry/blob/blob_info.py
index 7d4bc71dd..1058d1285 100644
--- a/lbry/blob/blob_info.py
+++ b/lbry/blob/blob_info.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import time
 import typing
 
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ class BlobInfo:
         self.blob_num = blob_num
         self.length = length
         self.iv = iv
-        self.added_on = added_on
+        self.added_on = added_on or time.time()
         self.is_mine = is_mine
 
     def as_dict(self) -> typing.Dict:
diff --git a/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py b/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
index a57718f6b..7472527e5 100644
--- a/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
+++ b/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
@@ -573,6 +573,12 @@ class DiskSpaceManagement(CommandTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(blobs2.issubset(blobs))
         self.assertFalse(blobs3.issubset(blobs))
         self.assertTrue(blobs4.issubset(blobs))
+        # check that added_on gets set on downloads (was a bug)
+        self.assertLess(0, await self.daemon.storage.run_and_return_one_or_none("select min(added_on) from blob"))
+        await self.daemon.jsonrpc_file_delete(delete_all=True)
+        await self.daemon.jsonrpc_get("foo4", save_file=False)
+        self.assertLess(0, await self.daemon.storage.run_and_return_one_or_none("select min(added_on) from blob"))
+
 
 
 class TestBackgroundDownloaderComponent(CommandTestCase):