diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
index e45b960818..2bbf7463a5 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
@@ -788,6 +788,7 @@ MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_set_position_target_local_ned(mavlink_message_t
 				} else {
 					/* It's not a pure force setpoint: publish to setpoint triplet  topic */
 					struct position_setpoint_triplet_s pos_sp_triplet = {};
+					pos_sp_triplet.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 					pos_sp_triplet.previous.valid = false;
 					pos_sp_triplet.next.valid = false;
 					pos_sp_triplet.current.valid = true;
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
index 7d48b81bc2..2698e03d87 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
@@ -622,6 +622,7 @@ Navigator::task_main()
 		}
 
 		if (_pos_sp_triplet_updated) {
+			_pos_sp_triplet.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 			publish_position_setpoint_triplet();
 			_pos_sp_triplet_updated = false;
 		}