diff --git a/src/aap_eda/services/activation/db_log_handler.py b/src/aap_eda/services/activation/db_log_handler.py
index 8a20598e0..44dc9787c 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/services/activation/db_log_handler.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/services/activation/db_log_handler.py
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ def write(
         ):
             self.flush()
 
+        # set default value of log_timestamp
+        if log_timestamp == 0:
+            log_timestamp = int(datetime.now().timestamp())
+
         if not isinstance(lines, list):
             lines = [lines]
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/services/activation/engine/test_podman.py b/tests/integration/services/activation/engine/test_podman.py
index c26f0a29a..a286f4524 100644
--- a/tests/integration/services/activation/engine/test_podman.py
+++ b/tests/integration/services/activation/engine/test_podman.py
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ def test_engine_start(
 
     engine.client.containers.run.assert_called_once()
     assert models.RulebookProcessLog.objects.count() == 4
+    for log in models.RulebookProcessLog.objects.all():
+        assert log.log_timestamp > 0
     assert models.RulebookProcessLog.objects.last().log.endswith("is running.")