diff --git a/pkg/controller.v1/pytorch/pytorchjob_controller.go b/pkg/controller.v1/pytorch/pytorchjob_controller.go
index 4cd901f391..6a523a70f2 100644
--- a/pkg/controller.v1/pytorch/pytorchjob_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller.v1/pytorch/pytorchjob_controller.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package pytorch
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	commonv1 "github.com/kubeflow/common/pkg/apis/common/v1"
@@ -324,6 +325,25 @@ func (r *PyTorchJobReconciler) UpdateJobStatus(job interface{},
 		return fmt.Errorf("%+v is not a type of PyTorchJob", job)
 	}
 
+	pytorchjobKey, err := common.KeyFunc(pytorchjob)
+	if err != nil {
+		utilruntime.HandleError(fmt.Errorf("couldn't get key for pytorchjob object %#v: %v", pytorchjob, err))
+		return err
+	}
+
+	logger := commonutil.LoggerForJob(pytorchjob)
+
+	// Set StartTime.
+	if jobStatus.StartTime == nil {
+		now := metav1.Now()
+		jobStatus.StartTime = &now
+		// enqueue a sync to check if job past ActiveDeadlineSeconds
+		if pytorchjob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
+			logger.Infof("Job with ActiveDeadlineSeconds will sync after %d seconds", *pytorchjob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds)
+			r.WorkQueue.AddAfter(pytorchjobKey, time.Duration(*pytorchjob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds)*time.Second)
+		}
+	}
+
 	for rtype, spec := range replicas {
 		status := jobStatus.ReplicaStatuses[rtype]
 		if status.LabelSelector == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/controller.v1/xgboost/xgboostjob_controller.go b/pkg/controller.v1/xgboost/xgboostjob_controller.go
index 66ea4b64eb..40488d5645 100644
--- a/pkg/controller.v1/xgboost/xgboostjob_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller.v1/xgboost/xgboostjob_controller.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/informers"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/kubeflow/training-operator/pkg/apis/xgboost/validation"
 
@@ -330,6 +331,23 @@ func (r *XGBoostJobReconciler) UpdateJobStatus(job interface{}, replicas map[com
 		return fmt.Errorf("%+v is not a type of xgboostJob", xgboostJob)
 	}
 
+	xgboostJobKey, err := common.KeyFunc(xgboostJob)
+	if err != nil {
+		utilruntime.HandleError(fmt.Errorf("couldn't get key for xgboostjob object %#v: %v", xgboostJob, err))
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Set StartTime.
+	if jobStatus.StartTime == nil {
+		now := metav1.Now()
+		jobStatus.StartTime = &now
+		// enqueue a sync to check if job past ActiveDeadlineSeconds
+		if xgboostJob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
+			logger.LoggerForJob(xgboostJob).Infof("Job with ActiveDeadlineSeconds will sync after %d seconds", *xgboostJob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds)
+			r.WorkQueue.AddAfter(xgboostJobKey, time.Duration(*xgboostJob.Spec.RunPolicy.ActiveDeadlineSeconds)*time.Second)
+		}
+	}
+
 	for rtype, spec := range replicas {
 		status := jobStatus.ReplicaStatuses[rtype]