diff --git a/src/__tests__/create-file-node.js b/src/__tests__/create-file-node.js
index 3224b1ad833c4..cf3da21806a17 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/create-file-node.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/create-file-node.js
@@ -1,11 +1,48 @@
 const path = require(`path`)
 
 const { createFileNode } = require(`../create-file-node`)
+const fs = require(`fs-extra`)
+
+const fsStatBak = fs.stat
 
 // FIXME: This test needs to not use snapshots because of file differences
 // and locations across users and CI systems
 describe(`create-file-node`, () => {
-  it(`creates a file node`, () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    // If this breaks, note that the actual values here are not relevant. They just need to be mocked because
+    // otherwise the tests change due to changing timestamps. The returned object should mimic the real fs.stat
+    // Note: async tests should run in serial so this mock should not cause cross test polution on this thread.
+    fs.stat = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+      Promise.resolve({
+        isDirectory() {
+          return false
+        },
+        dev: 123456,
+        mode: 123456,
+        nlink: 123456,
+        uid: 123456,
+        rdev: 123456,
+        blksize: 123456,
+        ino: 123456,
+        size: 123456,
+        blocks: 123456,
+        atimeMs: 123456,
+        mtimeMs: 123456,
+        ctimeMs: 123456,
+        birthtimeMs: 123456,
+        atime: new Date(123456),
+        mtime: new Date(123456),
+        ctime: new Date(123456),
+        birthtime: new Date(123456),
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    fs.stat = fsStatBak
+  })
+
+  it(`creates a file node`, async () => {
     const createNodeId = jest.fn()
     createNodeId.mockReturnValue(`uuid-from-gatsby`)
     return createFileNode(
@@ -14,4 +51,90 @@ describe(`create-file-node`, () => {
       {}
     )
   })
+
+  it(`records the shape of the node`, async () => {
+    const dname = fs.mkdtempSync(`gatsby-create-file-node-test`).trim()
+    try {
+      const fname = path.join(dname, `f`)
+      console.log(dname, fname)
+      fs.writeFileSync(fname, `data`)
+      try {
+        const createNodeId = jest.fn()
+        createNodeId.mockReturnValue(`uuid-from-gatsby`)
+
+        const node = await createFileNode(fname, createNodeId, {})
+
+        // Sanitize all filenames
+        Object.keys(node).forEach(key => {
+          if (typeof node[key] === `string`) {
+            node[key] = node[key].replace(new RegExp(dname, `g`), `<DIR>`)
+            node[key] = node[key].replace(new RegExp(fname, `g`), `<FILE>`)
+          }
+        })
+        Object.keys(node.internal).forEach(key => {
+          if (typeof node.internal[key] === `string`) {
+            node.internal[key] = node.internal[key].replace(
+              new RegExp(dname, `g`),
+              `<DIR>`
+            )
+            node.internal[key] = node.internal[key].replace(
+              new RegExp(fname, `g`),
+              `<FILE>`
+            )
+          }
+        })
+
+        // Note: this snapshot should update if the mock above is changed
+        expect(node).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+          Object {
+            "absolutePath": "<DIR>/f",
+            "accessTime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "atime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "atimeMs": 123456,
+            "base": "f",
+            "birthTime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "birthtime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "birthtimeMs": 123456,
+            "blksize": 123456,
+            "blocks": 123456,
+            "changeTime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "children": Array [],
+            "ctime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "ctimeMs": 123456,
+            "dev": 123456,
+            "dir": "<DIR>",
+            "ext": "",
+            "extension": "",
+            "id": "uuid-from-gatsby",
+            "ino": 123456,
+            "internal": Object {
+              "contentDigest": "8d777f385d3dfec8815d20f7496026dc",
+              "description": "File \\"<DIR>/f\\"",
+              "mediaType": "application/octet-stream",
+              "type": "File",
+            },
+            "mode": 123456,
+            "modifiedTime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "mtime": "1970-01-01T00:02:03.456Z",
+            "mtimeMs": 123456,
+            "name": "f",
+            "nlink": 123456,
+            "parent": null,
+            "prettySize": "123 kB",
+            "rdev": 123456,
+            "relativeDirectory": "<DIR>",
+            "relativePath": "<DIR>/f",
+            "root": "",
+            "size": 123456,
+            "sourceInstanceName": "__PROGRAMMATIC__",
+            "uid": 123456,
+          }
+        `)
+      } finally {
+        fs.unlinkSync(fname)
+      }
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmdirSync(dname)
+    }
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/create-file-node.js b/src/create-file-node.js
index 12e72bc7eb1aa..3e9730fad6593 100644
--- a/src/create-file-node.js
+++ b/src/create-file-node.js
@@ -45,33 +45,48 @@ exports.createFileNode = async (
     }
   }
 
-  // Stringify date objects.
-  return JSON.parse(
-    JSON.stringify({
-      // Don't actually make the File id the absolute path as otherwise
-      // people will use the id for that and ids shouldn't be treated as
-      // useful information.
-      id: createNodeId(pathToFile),
-      children: [],
-      parent: null,
-      internal,
-      sourceInstanceName: pluginOptions.name || `__PROGRAMMATIC__`,
-      absolutePath: slashedFile.absolutePath,
-      relativePath: slash(
-        path.relative(
-          pluginOptions.path || process.cwd(),
-          slashedFile.absolutePath
-        )
-      ),
-      extension: slashedFile.ext.slice(1).toLowerCase(),
-      size: stats.size,
-      prettySize: prettyBytes(stats.size),
-      modifiedTime: stats.mtime,
-      accessTime: stats.atime,
-      changeTime: stats.ctime,
-      birthTime: stats.birthtime,
-      ...slashedFile,
-      ...stats,
-    })
-  )
+  return {
+    // Don't actually make the File id the absolute path as otherwise
+    // people will use the id for that and ids shouldn't be treated as
+    // useful information.
+    id: createNodeId(pathToFile),
+    children: [],
+    parent: null,
+    internal,
+    sourceInstanceName: pluginOptions.name || `__PROGRAMMATIC__`,
+    relativePath: slash(
+      path.relative(
+        pluginOptions.path || process.cwd(),
+        slashedFile.absolutePath
+      )
+    ),
+    extension: slashedFile.ext.slice(1).toLowerCase(),
+    prettySize: prettyBytes(stats.size),
+    modifiedTime: stats.mtime.toJSON(),
+    accessTime: stats.atime.toJSON(),
+    changeTime: stats.ctime.toJSON(),
+    birthTime: stats.birthtime.toJSON(),
+    // Note: deprecate splatting the slashedFile object
+    // Note: the object may contain different properties depending on File or Dir
+    ...slashedFile,
+    // TODO: deprecate copying the entire object
+    // Note: not splatting for perf reasons (make sure Date objects are serialized)
+    dev: stats.dev,
+    mode: stats.mode,
+    nlink: stats.nlink,
+    uid: stats.uid,
+    rdev: stats.rdev,
+    blksize: stats.blksize,
+    ino: stats.ino,
+    size: stats.size,
+    blocks: stats.blocks,
+    atimeMs: stats.atimeMs,
+    mtimeMs: stats.mtimeMs,
+    ctimeMs: stats.ctimeMs,
+    birthtimeMs: stats.birthtimeMs,
+    atime: stats.atime.toJSON(),
+    mtime: stats.mtime.toJSON(),
+    ctime: stats.ctime.toJSON(),
+    birthtime: stats.birthtime.toJSON(),
+  }
 }