feat(gateway): inject stable human-readable message timestamps

Consolidates these related Amy fork patches:
- 429830f39 feat(gateway): inject message timestamps into user messages for LLM context
- 3c3d6fac0 fix: handle both ISO string and epoch float timestamps in history replay
- 2874f7725 feat: human-friendly timestamp format with weekday and timezone name
- 3735f4c8b fix: render gateway message timestamps once

agent/agent_init.py

@@ -599,6 +599,7 @@ def init_agent(
     # (e.g. CLI voice mode adds a temporary prefix for the live call only).
     agent._persist_user_message_idx = None
     agent._persist_user_message_override = None
+    agent._persist_user_message_timestamp = None
 
     # Cache anthropic image-to-text fallbacks per image payload/URL so a
     # single tool loop does not repeatedly re-run auxiliary vision on the

agent/conversation_loop.py

@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ def run_conversation(
     task_id: str = None,
     stream_callback: Optional[callable] = None,
     persist_user_message: Optional[str] = None,
+    persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Run a complete conversation with tool calling until completion.
@@ -489,6 +490,8 @@ def run_conversation(
         persist_user_message: Optional clean user message to store in
             transcripts/history when user_message contains API-only
             synthetic prefixes.
+        persist_user_timestamp: Optional platform event timestamp to store
+            as metadata on that persisted user message.
                 or queuing follow-up prefetch work.
 
     Returns:
@@ -510,6 +513,7 @@ def run_conversation(
         task_id,
         stream_callback,
         persist_user_message,
+        persist_user_timestamp,
         restore_or_build_system_prompt=_restore_or_build_system_prompt,
         install_safe_stdio=_install_safe_stdio,
         sanitize_surrogates=_sanitize_surrogates,

agent/turn_context.py

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ def build_turn_context(
     task_id: Optional[str],
     stream_callback,
     persist_user_message: Optional[str],
+    persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
     *,
     restore_or_build_system_prompt,
     install_safe_stdio,
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ def build_turn_context(
     agent._stream_callback = stream_callback
     agent._persist_user_message_idx = None
     agent._persist_user_message_override = persist_user_message
+    agent._persist_user_message_timestamp = persist_user_timestamp
     # Generate unique task_id if not provided to isolate VMs between tasks.
     effective_task_id = task_id or str(uuid.uuid4())
     agent._current_task_id = effective_task_id

gateway/message_timestamps.py

@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+"""Helpers for rendering gateway message timestamps exactly once.
+
+Gateway messages need timestamps in the LLM context for temporal awareness, but
+persisted message content should stay clean so replay does not accumulate
+``[timestamp] [timestamp] ...`` prefixes across turns.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Any, Optional, Tuple
+
+
+# Current gateway format: [Tue 2026-04-28 13:40:53 CEST]
+_HUMAN_TIMESTAMP_RE = re.compile(
+    r"^\[(?P<dow>[A-Z][a-z]{2}) "
+    r"(?P<date>\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}) "
+    r"(?P<time>\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})"
+    r"(?: (?P<tz>[A-Za-z0-9_+\-/:]+))?\]\s*"
+)
+
+# Older gateway format: [2026-04-13T17:02:06+0200] or [+02:00]
+_ISO_TIMESTAMP_RE = re.compile(
+    r"^\[(?P<iso>\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T[^\]]+)\]\s*"
+)
+
+
+def coerce_message_timestamp(ts_value: Any, tz=None) -> Optional[float]:
+    """Coerce a timestamp-like value to Unix epoch seconds.
+
+    Accepts Unix epoch numbers, datetime objects, ISO strings, and the gateway's
+    bracketed human-readable timestamp format. Returns ``None`` when the value
+    cannot be interpreted.
+    """
+    if ts_value is None:
+        return None
+
+    if isinstance(ts_value, (int, float)):
+        return float(ts_value)
+
+    if hasattr(ts_value, "timestamp"):
+        try:
+            return float(ts_value.timestamp())
+        except Exception:
+            return None
+
+    if isinstance(ts_value, str):
+        text = ts_value.strip()
+        if not text:
+            return None
+        parsed = _parse_timestamp_prefix(text, tz=tz)
+        if parsed is not None:
+            return parsed
+        try:
+            return float(text)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            pass
+        try:
+            dt = datetime.fromisoformat(text)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            try:
+                dt = datetime.strptime(text, "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z")
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                return None
+        if dt.tzinfo is None:
+            if tz is not None:
+                dt = dt.replace(tzinfo=tz)
+            else:
+                dt = dt.astimezone()
+        return float(dt.timestamp())
+
+    return None
+
+
+def format_message_timestamp(ts_value: Any, tz=None) -> str:
+    """Format a timestamp value as ``[Tue 2026-04-28 13:40:53 CEST]``."""
+    epoch = coerce_message_timestamp(ts_value, tz=tz)
+    if epoch is None:
+        return ""
+    if tz is not None:
+        dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(epoch, tz=tz)
+    else:
+        dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(epoch).astimezone()
+    return "[" + dt.strftime("%a %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z") + "]"
+
+
+def strip_leading_message_timestamps(content: str, tz=None) -> Tuple[str, Optional[float]]:
+    """Strip one or more leading gateway timestamp prefixes from ``content``.
+
+    Returns ``(clean_content, embedded_epoch)``.  If multiple timestamp prefixes
+    are present, the timestamp closest to the actual message text wins.  That
+    preserves the original platform-send time for legacy contaminated rows like
+    ``[processing time] [platform time] [sender] message``.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(content, str) or not content:
+        return content, None
+
+    text = content
+    embedded_epoch: Optional[float] = None
+
+    while True:
+        match = _HUMAN_TIMESTAMP_RE.match(text) or _ISO_TIMESTAMP_RE.match(text)
+        if not match:
+            break
+        parsed = _parse_timestamp_match(match, tz=tz)
+        if parsed is not None:
+            embedded_epoch = parsed
+        text = text[match.end():]
+
+    return text, embedded_epoch
+
+
+def render_user_content_with_timestamp(content: str, ts_value: Any = None, tz=None) -> str:
+    """Render a user message for LLM context with exactly one timestamp prefix.
+
+    Existing leading timestamp prefixes are removed first.  If such a prefix was
+    present, its parsed time wins over ``ts_value``; otherwise ``ts_value`` is
+    formatted and prepended.  If no timestamp is available, the cleaned content is
+    returned unchanged.
+    """
+    clean_content, embedded_epoch = strip_leading_message_timestamps(content, tz=tz)
+    effective_ts = embedded_epoch if embedded_epoch is not None else ts_value
+    prefix = format_message_timestamp(effective_ts, tz=tz)
+    if not prefix:
+        return clean_content
+    if clean_content:
+        return f"{prefix} {clean_content}"
+    return prefix
+
+
+def _parse_timestamp_prefix(text: str, tz=None) -> Optional[float]:
+    match = _HUMAN_TIMESTAMP_RE.match(text) or _ISO_TIMESTAMP_RE.match(text)
+    if not match:
+        return None
+    return _parse_timestamp_match(match, tz=tz)
+
+
+def _parse_timestamp_match(match: re.Match, tz=None) -> Optional[float]:
+    if "iso" in match.groupdict() and match.group("iso"):
+        iso_text = match.group("iso")
+        try:
+            dt = datetime.fromisoformat(iso_text)
+        except ValueError:
+            try:
+                dt = datetime.strptime(iso_text, "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z")
+            except ValueError:
+                return None
+        if dt.tzinfo is None:
+            if tz is not None:
+                dt = dt.replace(tzinfo=tz)
+            else:
+                dt = dt.astimezone()
+        return float(dt.timestamp())
+
+    date_part = match.group("date")
+    time_part = match.group("time")
+    try:
+        dt = datetime.strptime(f"{date_part} {time_part}", "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+    except ValueError:
+        return None
+    if tz is not None:
+        dt = dt.replace(tzinfo=tz)
+    else:
+        dt = dt.astimezone()
+    return float(dt.timestamp())

gateway/run.py

@@ -706,6 +706,12 @@ def _build_gateway_agent_history(
     the current message behind ``history_offset`` during persistence.
     """
 
+    from hermes_time import get_timezone as _get_msg_tz
+    from gateway.message_timestamps import (
+        render_user_content_with_timestamp as _render_msg_ts,
+    )
+
+    _msg_tz = _get_msg_tz()
     agent_history: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
     observed_group_context: List[str] = []
     separate_observed_context = _uses_telegram_observed_group_context(channel_prompt)
@@ -725,6 +731,8 @@ def _build_gateway_agent_history(
             continue
 
         content = msg.get("content")
+        if role == "user" and isinstance(content, str):
+            content = _render_msg_ts(content, msg.get("timestamp"), tz=_msg_tz)
         if separate_observed_context and msg.get("observed") and role == "user" and content:
             observed_group_context.append(str(content).strip())
             continue
@@ -8378,6 +8386,8 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
         
         # Read privacy.redact_pii from config (re-read per message)
         _redact_pii = False
+        persist_user_message = None
+        persist_user_timestamp = None
         try:
             _pcfg = _load_gateway_config()
             _redact_pii = bool((_pcfg.get("privacy") or {}).get("redact_pii", False))
@@ -8902,6 +8912,34 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
         if message_text is None:
             return
 
+        # Inject message timestamp so the LLM sees when this message was sent.
+        # Keep the persisted transcript clean: timestamps are stored as
+        # metadata and rendered into context exactly once on replay.
+        try:
+            from hermes_time import get_timezone as _get_evt_tz
+            from gateway.message_timestamps import (
+                coerce_message_timestamp as _coerce_msg_ts,
+                render_user_content_with_timestamp as _render_msg_ts,
+                strip_leading_message_timestamps as _strip_msg_ts,
+            )
+            _evt_tz = _get_evt_tz()
+            _evt_ts = getattr(event, "timestamp", None)
+            if message_text and isinstance(message_text, str):
+                _clean_message_text, _embedded_ts = _strip_msg_ts(
+                    message_text, tz=_evt_tz)
+                persist_user_message = _clean_message_text
+                _event_epoch = _coerce_msg_ts(_evt_ts, tz=_evt_tz)
+                persist_user_timestamp = (
+                    _event_epoch if _event_epoch is not None else _embedded_ts
+                )
+                message_text = _render_msg_ts(
+                    _clean_message_text,
+                    persist_user_timestamp,
+                    tz=_evt_tz,
+                )
+        except Exception as _ts_err:
+            logger.debug("Message timestamp injection failed (non-fatal): %s", _ts_err)
+
         # Bind this gateway run generation to the adapter's active-session
         # event so deferred post-delivery callbacks can be released by the
         # same run that registered them.
@@ -8935,6 +8973,8 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
                 run_generation=run_generation,
                 event_message_id=self._reply_anchor_for_event(event),
                 channel_prompt=event.channel_prompt,
+                persist_user_message=persist_user_message,
+                persist_user_timestamp=persist_user_timestamp,
             )
 
             # Stop persistent typing indicator now that the agent is done
@@ -9226,7 +9266,7 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
                     "Your next message will start a fresh session."
                 )
 
-            ts = datetime.now().isoformat()
+            ts = time.time()  # Unix epoch float — consistent with DB storage
             
             # If this is a fresh session (no history), write the full tool
             # definitions as the first entry so the transcript is self-describing
@@ -9262,7 +9302,19 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
                 # message so the next message can load a transcript that
                 # reflects what was said.  Skip the assistant error text since
                 # it's a gateway-generated hint, not model output. (#7100)
-                _user_entry = {"role": "user", "content": message_text, "timestamp": ts}
+                _user_entry = {
+                    "role": "user",
+                    "content": (
+                        persist_user_message
+                        if persist_user_message is not None
+                        else message_text
+                    ),
+                    "timestamp": (
+                        persist_user_timestamp
+                        if persist_user_timestamp is not None
+                        else ts
+                    ),
+                }
                 if event.message_id:
                     _user_entry["message_id"] = str(event.message_id)
                 self.session_store.append_to_transcript(
@@ -9276,7 +9328,19 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
 
                 # If no new messages found (edge case), fall back to simple user/assistant
                 if not new_messages:
-                    _user_entry = {"role": "user", "content": message_text, "timestamp": ts}
+                    _user_entry = {
+                        "role": "user",
+                        "content": (
+                            persist_user_message
+                            if persist_user_message is not None
+                            else message_text
+                        ),
+                        "timestamp": (
+                            persist_user_timestamp
+                            if persist_user_timestamp is not None
+                            else ts
+                        ),
+                    }
                     if event.message_id:
                         _user_entry["message_id"] = str(event.message_id)
                     self.session_store.append_to_transcript(
@@ -9401,13 +9465,26 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
                         _recent_transcript = []
                     for _msg in reversed(_recent_transcript[-10:]):
                         if _msg.get("role") == "user":
-                            _already_persisted = (_msg.get("content") == message_text)
+                            _expected_user_content = (
+                                persist_user_message
+                                if persist_user_message is not None
+                                else message_text
+                            )
+                            _already_persisted = (_msg.get("content") == _expected_user_content)
                             break
                     if not _already_persisted:
                         _user_entry = {
                             "role": "user",
-                            "content": message_text,
+                            "content": (
-                            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat(),
+                                persist_user_message
+                                if persist_user_message is not None
+                                else message_text
+                            ),
+                            "timestamp": (
+                                persist_user_timestamp
+                                if persist_user_timestamp is not None
+                                else time.time()
+                            ),
                         }
                         if getattr(event, "message_id", None):
                             _user_entry["message_id"] = str(event.message_id)
@@ -13602,6 +13679,8 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
         _interrupt_depth: int = 0,
         event_message_id: Optional[str] = None,
         channel_prompt: Optional[str] = None,
+        persist_user_message: Optional[str] = None,
+        persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """
         Run the agent with the given message and context.
@@ -15028,7 +15107,8 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
             # Keep real user text separate from API-only recovery guidance.  If
             # an auto-continue note is prepended below, persist the original
             # message so stale guidance never replays as user-authored text.
-            _persist_user_message_override: Optional[Any] = None
+            _persist_user_message_override: Optional[Any] = persist_user_message
+            _persist_user_timestamp_override: Optional[float] = persist_user_timestamp
 
             # Prepend pending model switch note so the model knows about the switch
             _pending_notes = getattr(self, '_pending_model_notes', {})
@@ -15168,6 +15248,8 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
                     _conversation_kwargs["persist_user_message"] = _persist_user_message_override
                 elif observed_group_context:
                     _conversation_kwargs["persist_user_message"] = message
+                if _persist_user_timestamp_override is not None:
+                    _conversation_kwargs["persist_user_timestamp"] = _persist_user_timestamp_override
                 result = agent.run_conversation(_api_run_message, **_conversation_kwargs)
             finally:
                 unregister_gateway_notify(_approval_session_key)

gateway/session.py

@@ -1322,6 +1322,7 @@ class SessionStore:
                         message.get("platform_message_id") or message.get("message_id")
                     ),
                     observed=bool(message.get("observed")),
+                    timestamp=message.get("timestamp"),
                 )
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.debug("Session DB operation failed: %s", e)

hermes_state.py

@@ -2379,6 +2379,7 @@ class SessionDB:
         codex_message_items: Any = None,
         platform_message_id: str = None,
         observed: bool = False,
+        timestamp: Any = None,
     ) -> int:
         """
         Append a message to a session. Returns the message row ID.
@@ -2410,6 +2411,16 @@ class SessionDB:
         # cannot bind list/dict parameters directly.
         stored_content = self._encode_content(content)
 
+        message_timestamp = time.time()
+        if timestamp is not None:
+            try:
+                if hasattr(timestamp, "timestamp"):
+                    message_timestamp = float(timestamp.timestamp())
+                else:
+                    message_timestamp = float(timestamp)
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                logger.debug("Ignoring invalid explicit message timestamp: %r", timestamp)
+
         # Pre-compute tool call count
         num_tool_calls = 0
         if tool_calls is not None:
@@ -2429,7 +2440,7 @@ class SessionDB:
                     tool_call_id,
                     tool_calls_json,
                     tool_name,
-                    time.time(),
+                    message_timestamp,
                     token_count,
                     finish_reason,
                     reasoning,
@@ -2482,6 +2493,16 @@ class SessionDB:
             for msg in messages:
                 role = msg.get("role", "unknown")
                 tool_calls = msg.get("tool_calls")
+                message_timestamp = now_ts
+                if msg.get("timestamp") is not None:
+                    try:
+                        ts_value = msg.get("timestamp")
+                        if hasattr(ts_value, "timestamp"):
+                            message_timestamp = float(ts_value.timestamp())
+                        else:
+                            message_timestamp = float(ts_value)
+                    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                        logger.debug("Ignoring invalid explicit message timestamp: %r", msg.get("timestamp"))
                 reasoning_details = msg.get("reasoning_details") if role == "assistant" else None
                 codex_reasoning_items = (
                     msg.get("codex_reasoning_items") if role == "assistant" else None
@@ -2519,7 +2540,7 @@ class SessionDB:
                         msg.get("tool_call_id"),
                         tool_calls_json,
                         msg.get("tool_name"),
-                        now_ts,
+                        message_timestamp,
                         msg.get("token_count"),
                         msg.get("finish_reason"),
                         msg.get("reasoning") if role == "assistant" else None,
@@ -2536,7 +2557,7 @@ class SessionDB:
                     total_tool_calls += (
                         len(tool_calls) if isinstance(tool_calls, list) else 1
                     )
-                now_ts += 1e-6
+                now_ts = max(now_ts + 1e-6, message_timestamp + 1e-6)
 
             conn.execute(
                 "UPDATE sessions SET message_count = ?, tool_call_count = ? WHERE id = ?",
@@ -2867,9 +2888,9 @@ class SessionDB:
             rows = self._conn.execute(
                 "SELECT role, content, tool_call_id, tool_calls, tool_name, "
                 "finish_reason, reasoning, reasoning_content, reasoning_details, "
-                "codex_reasoning_items, codex_message_items, platform_message_id, observed "
+                "codex_reasoning_items, codex_message_items, platform_message_id, observed, timestamp "
                 f"FROM messages WHERE session_id IN ({placeholders})"
-                f"{active_clause} ORDER BY id",
+                f"{active_clause} ORDER BY timestamp, id",
                 tuple(session_ids),
             ).fetchall()
 
@@ -2879,6 +2900,8 @@ class SessionDB:
             if row["role"] in {"user", "assistant"} and isinstance(content, str):
                 content = sanitize_context(content).strip()
             msg = {"role": row["role"], "content": content}
+            if row["timestamp"]:
+                msg["timestamp"] = row["timestamp"]
             if row["tool_call_id"]:
                 msg["tool_call_id"] = row["tool_call_id"]
             if row["tool_name"]:

run_agent.py

@@ -1472,16 +1472,21 @@ class AIAgent:
         that synthetic text leak into persisted transcripts or resumed session
         history. When an override is configured for the active turn, mutate the
         in-memory messages list in place so both persistence and returned
-        history stay clean.
+        history stay clean.  A paired timestamp override preserves the platform
+        event time as message metadata, rather than embedding it in content.
         """
         idx = getattr(self, "_persist_user_message_idx", None)
         override = getattr(self, "_persist_user_message_override", None)
-        if override is None or idx is None:
+        timestamp = getattr(self, "_persist_user_message_timestamp", None)
+        if idx is None or (override is None and timestamp is None):
             return
         if 0 <= idx < len(messages):
             msg = messages[idx]
             if isinstance(msg, dict) and msg.get("role") == "user":
-                msg["content"] = override
+                if override is not None:
+                    msg["content"] = override
+                if timestamp is not None:
+                    msg["timestamp"] = timestamp
 
     def _persist_session(self, messages: List[Dict], conversation_history: List[Dict] = None):
         """Save session state to both JSON log and SQLite on any exit path.
@@ -1639,6 +1644,7 @@ class AIAgent:
                     reasoning_details=msg.get("reasoning_details") if role == "assistant" else None,
                     codex_reasoning_items=msg.get("codex_reasoning_items") if role == "assistant" else None,
                     codex_message_items=msg.get("codex_message_items") if role == "assistant" else None,
+                    timestamp=msg.get("timestamp"),
                 )
                 flushed_ids.add(msg_id)
             self._last_flushed_db_idx = len(messages)
@@ -5218,10 +5224,20 @@ class AIAgent:
         task_id: str = None,
         stream_callback: Optional[callable] = None,
         persist_user_message: Optional[str] = None,
+        persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Forwarder — see ``agent.conversation_loop.run_conversation``."""
         from agent.conversation_loop import run_conversation
-        return run_conversation(self, user_message, system_message, conversation_history, task_id, stream_callback, persist_user_message)
+        return run_conversation(
+            self,
+            user_message,
+            system_message,
+            conversation_history,
+            task_id,
+            stream_callback,
+            persist_user_message,
+            persist_user_timestamp,
+        )
 
     def chat(self, message: str, stream_callback: Optional[callable] = None) -> str:
         """

tests/acp/test_session.py

@@ -211,7 +211,10 @@ class TestListAndCleanup:
 
         db = manager._get_db()
         messages = db.get_messages_as_conversation(state.session_id)
-        assert messages == [{"role": "user", "content": "original"}]
+        assert len(messages) == 1
+        assert messages[0]["role"] == "user"
+        assert messages[0]["content"] == "original"
+        assert isinstance(messages[0].get("timestamp"), (int, float))
 
     def test_cleanup_clears_all(self, manager):
         s1 = manager.create_session()
@@ -501,6 +504,8 @@ class TestPersistence:
 
         restored = manager.get_session(state.session_id)
         assert restored is not None
+        msg = restored.history[0]
+        assert isinstance(msg.pop("timestamp", None), (int, float))
         assert restored.history == [{
             "role": "assistant",
             "content": "hello",

tests/gateway/test_fast_command.py

@@ -23,12 +23,20 @@ class _CapturingAgent:
         type(self).last_init = dict(kwargs)
         self.tools = []
 
-    def run_conversation(self, user_message, conversation_history=None, task_id=None, persist_user_message=None):
+    def run_conversation(
+        self,
+        user_message,
+        conversation_history=None,
+        task_id=None,
+        persist_user_message=None,
+        persist_user_timestamp=None,
+    ):
         type(self).last_run = {
             "user_message": user_message,
             "conversation_history": conversation_history,
             "task_id": task_id,
             "persist_user_message": persist_user_message,
+            "persist_user_timestamp": persist_user_timestamp,
         }
         return {
             "final_response": "ok",

tests/gateway/test_message_timestamps.py

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
+
+from gateway.message_timestamps import (
+    coerce_message_timestamp,
+    render_user_content_with_timestamp,
+    strip_leading_message_timestamps,
+)
+from run_agent import AIAgent
+
+
+BERLIN = ZoneInfo("Europe/Berlin")
+
+
+def _epoch(year, month, day, hour, minute, second):
+    return datetime(year, month, day, hour, minute, second, tzinfo=BERLIN).timestamp()
+
+
+def test_render_user_content_adds_single_context_timestamp():
+    ts = _epoch(2026, 4, 28, 13, 40, 53)
+
+    rendered = render_user_content_with_timestamp(
+        "[Example User] Timestamp should be in context",
+        ts,
+        tz=BERLIN,
+    )
+
+    assert rendered == (
+        "[Tue 2026-04-28 13:40:53 CEST] "
+        "[Example User] Timestamp should be in context"
+    )
+
+
+def test_render_user_content_deduplicates_existing_timestamp_and_preserves_embedded_time():
+    db_processing_ts = _epoch(2026, 4, 27, 15, 55, 36)
+    stored_content = (
+        "[Mon 2026-04-27 15:54:44 CEST] "
+        "[Example User] This should go on our todo list"
+    )
+
+    rendered = render_user_content_with_timestamp(
+        stored_content,
+        db_processing_ts,
+        tz=BERLIN,
+    )
+
+    assert rendered == stored_content
+    assert rendered.count("2026-04-27") == 1
+
+
+def test_strip_leading_message_timestamps_removes_multiple_prefixes_and_prefers_inner_time():
+    content = (
+        "[Mon 2026-04-27 15:55:36 CEST] "
+        "[Mon 2026-04-27 15:54:44 CEST] "
+        "[Example User] This should go on our todo list"
+    )
+
+    stripped, embedded_ts = strip_leading_message_timestamps(content, tz=BERLIN)
+
+    assert stripped == "[Example User] This should go on our todo list"
+    assert embedded_ts == _epoch(2026, 4, 27, 15, 54, 44)
+
+
+def test_coerce_message_timestamp_accepts_datetime_and_epoch():
+    dt = datetime(2026, 4, 28, 13, 40, 53, tzinfo=BERLIN)
+
+    assert coerce_message_timestamp(dt, tz=BERLIN) == dt.timestamp()
+    assert coerce_message_timestamp(dt.timestamp(), tz=BERLIN) == dt.timestamp()
+
+
+def test_persist_user_message_override_keeps_clean_content_and_timestamp_metadata():
+    agent = AIAgent.__new__(AIAgent)
+    agent._persist_user_message_idx = 0
+    agent._persist_user_message_override = "[Example User] Clean content"
+    agent._persist_user_message_timestamp = _epoch(2026, 4, 28, 13, 40, 53)
+    messages = [
+        {
+            "role": "user",
+            "content": "[Tue 2026-04-28 13:40:53 CEST] [Example User] Clean content",
+        }
+    ]
+
+    agent._apply_persist_user_message_override(messages)
+
+    assert messages == [
+        {
+            "role": "user",
+            "content": "[Example User] Clean content",
+            "timestamp": _epoch(2026, 4, 28, 13, 40, 53),
+        }
+    ]

tests/gateway/test_session_api.py

@@ -241,7 +241,11 @@ async def test_session_chat_loads_history_and_preserves_session_headers(auth_ada
     assert kwargs["session_id"] == session_id
     assert kwargs["gateway_session_key"] == "client-42"
     assert kwargs["ephemeral_system_prompt"] == "stay focused"
-    assert kwargs["conversation_history"] == [
+    history = kwargs["conversation_history"]
+    assert len(history) == 2
+    assert isinstance(history[0].pop("timestamp"), (int, float))
+    assert isinstance(history[1].pop("timestamp"), (int, float))
+    assert history == [
         {"role": "user", "content": "earlier"},
         {"role": "assistant", "content": "prior answer"},
     ]

tests/test_hermes_state.py

@@ -347,6 +347,15 @@ class TestMessageStorage:
         assert messages[0]["content"] == "Hello"
         assert messages[1]["role"] == "assistant"
 
+    def test_append_message_accepts_explicit_timestamp(self, db):
+        db.create_session(session_id="s1", source="telegram")
+        event_ts = 1777383653.0
+
+        db.append_message("s1", role="user", content="Hello", timestamp=event_ts)
+
+        messages = db.get_messages_as_conversation("s1")
+        assert messages[0]["timestamp"] == event_ts
+
     def test_message_increments_session_count(self, db):
         db.create_session(session_id="s1", source="cli")
         db.append_message("s1", role="user", content="Hello")
@@ -370,11 +379,10 @@ class TestMessageStorage:
         assert messages[1]["observed"] == 0
 
         conversation = db.get_messages_as_conversation("s1")
-        assert conversation[0] == {
+        assert conversation[0]["role"] == "user"
-            "role": "user",
+        assert conversation[0]["content"] == "[Alice|111]\nside chatter"
-            "content": "[Alice|111]\nside chatter",
+        assert conversation[0]["observed"] is True
-            "observed": True,
+        assert isinstance(conversation[0].get("timestamp"), float)
-        }
         assert "observed" not in conversation[1]
 
     def test_tool_response_does_not_increment_tool_count(self, db):
@@ -458,7 +466,9 @@ class TestMessageStorage:
         # get_messages_as_conversation decodes back to the original list
         conv = db.get_messages_as_conversation("s1")
         assert len(conv) == 1
-        assert conv[0] == {"role": "user", "content": content}
+        assert conv[0]["role"] == "user"
+        assert conv[0]["content"] == content
+        assert isinstance(conv[0].get("timestamp"), float)
 
     def test_dict_content_round_trip(self, db):
         """Dict-shaped content (e.g. provider wrappers) also round-trips."""
@@ -529,8 +539,12 @@ class TestMessageStorage:
 
         conv = db.get_messages_as_conversation("s1")
         assert len(conv) == 2
-        assert conv[0] == {"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}
+        assert conv[0]["role"] == "user"
-        assert conv[1] == {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hi!"}
+        assert conv[0]["content"] == "Hello"
+        assert isinstance(conv[0]["timestamp"], float)
+        assert conv[1]["role"] == "assistant"
+        assert conv[1]["content"] == "Hi!"
+        assert isinstance(conv[1]["timestamp"], float)
 
     def test_platform_message_id_round_trips(self, db):
         """Platform-side message ids (yuanbao msg_id, telegram update_id, …)
@@ -620,7 +634,10 @@ class TestMessageStorage:
         )
 
         conv = db.get_messages_as_conversation("s1")
-        assert conv == [{"role": "assistant", "content": "Visible answer"}]
+        assert len(conv) == 1
+        assert conv[0]["role"] == "assistant"
+        assert conv[0]["content"] == "Visible answer"
+        assert isinstance(conv[0].get("timestamp"), float)
 
     def test_reasoning_persisted_and_restored(self, db):
         """Reasoning text is stored for assistant messages and restored by