diff --git a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/common/messaging/SmtpMail.java b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/common/messaging/SmtpMail.java
index 06f115b2ef7f..7cfb99eb09e0 100644
--- a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/common/messaging/SmtpMail.java
+++ b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/common/messaging/SmtpMail.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ public void setFrom(String from) {
     public void send() {
 
         try {
+            message.setSentDate(new Date());
             Address[] addrs = message.getRecipients(RecipientType.TO);
             if (addrs == null || addrs.length == 0) {
                 log.warn("Aborting mail message {}: No recipients", message.getSubject());
diff --git a/java/spacewalk-java.changes.mcalmer.set-send-date-for-email b/java/spacewalk-java.changes.mcalmer.set-send-date-for-email
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..77e3ad90f4fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/spacewalk-java.changes.mcalmer.set-send-date-for-email
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Set a send date when preparing emails