diff --git a/zephyr/management/commands/populate_db.py b/zephyr/management/commands/populate_db.py
index f0f9b91949..a9855368bc 100644
--- a/zephyr/management/commands/populate_db.py
+++ b/zephyr/management/commands/populate_db.py
@@ -529,7 +529,8 @@ def restore_saved_messages():
         elif old_message["type"] == "user_activated" or old_message["type"] == "user_created":
             # These are rare, so just handle them the slow way
             user = User.objects.get(email=old_message["user"])
-            do_activate_user(user, log=False)
+            timestamp=datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(float(old_message['timestamp'])).replace(tzinfo=utc)
+            do_activate_user(user, log=False, timestamp=timestamp)
             # Update the cache of users to show this user as activated
             users_by_id[user.userprofile.id] = UserProfile.objects.get(user=user)
             users[user.email] = user.userprofile
diff --git a/zephyr/models.py b/zephyr/models.py
index e876e00686..d0c62b89c8 100644
--- a/zephyr/models.py
+++ b/zephyr/models.py
@@ -601,13 +601,14 @@ def log_subscription_property_change(user_email, property, property_dict):
     event.update(property_dict)
     log_event(event)
 
-def do_activate_user(user, log=True):
+def do_activate_user(user, log=True, timestamp=time.time()):
     user.is_active = True
     user.set_password(initial_password(user.email))
+    user.date_joined = timestamp
     user.save()
     if log:
         log_event({'type': 'user_activated',
-                   'timestamp': time.time(),
+                   'timestamp': timestamp,
                    'user': user.email})
 
 def do_change_password(user, password, log=True):