diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 5da975e1..16196c1c 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 - Bug fixes
   - dataclass-like `default_factory` for ListItem
-  - Local echo messages all have the same time
   - Prevent briefly seeing login screen if there are accounts to
     resumeSession for but they take time to appear
   - 100% CPU usage when hitting top edge to trigger messages loading
diff --git a/harmonyqml/backend/model/items.py b/harmonyqml/backend/model/items.py
index 8003df59..60d7ab05 100644
--- a/harmonyqml/backend/model/items.py
+++ b/harmonyqml/backend/model/items.py
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ class Room(ListItem):
 # ----------
 
 class RoomEvent(ListItem):
-    _required_init_values = {"type", "dict"}
+    _required_init_values = {"type", "dict", "dateTime"}
     _constant             = {"type"}
 
     type:        str            = ""
     dict:        Dict[str, Any] = {}
-    dateTime:    QDateTime      = QDateTime.currentDateTime()
+    dateTime:    QDateTime      = QDateTime()
     isLocalEcho: bool           = False
 
 
diff --git a/harmonyqml/backend/signal_manager.py b/harmonyqml/backend/signal_manager.py
index f2b6c61d..002c1e2a 100644
--- a/harmonyqml/backend/signal_manager.py
+++ b/harmonyqml/backend/signal_manager.py
@@ -376,17 +376,20 @@ class SignalManager(QObject):
                                room_id: str,
                                content: Dict[str, str]) -> None:
 
+        date_time = QDateTime.currentDateTime()
+
         with self._lock:
             model     = self.backend.roomEvents[room_id]
             nio_event = nio.events.RoomMessage.parse_event({
                 "event_id":         "",
                 "sender":           client.userId,
-                "origin_server_ts": QDateTime.currentMSecsSinceEpoch(),
+                "origin_server_ts": date_time.toMSecsSinceEpoch(),
                 "content":          content,
             })
             event = RoomEvent(
                 type        = type(nio_event).__name__,
                 dict        = nio_event.__dict__,
+                dateTime    = date_time,
                 isLocalEcho = True,
             )
             model.insert(0, event)