diff --git a/backend/common/src/helper.py b/backend/common/src/helper.py
index 263018db..fcf75dfe 100644
--- a/backend/common/src/helper.py
+++ b/backend/common/src/helper.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import os
 import random
 import string
 import subprocess
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from time import sleep
 from typing import Any
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
@@ -106,13 +106,14 @@ def requests_headers() -> dict[str, str]:
 def date_parser(timestamp: int | str) -> str:
     """return formatted date string"""
     if isinstance(timestamp, int):
-        date_obj = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp)
+        date_obj = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp, tz=timezone.utc)
     elif isinstance(timestamp, str):
         date_obj = datetime.strptime(timestamp, "%Y-%m-%d")
+        date_obj = date_obj.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
     else:
         raise TypeError(f"invalid timestamp: {timestamp}")
 
-    return date_obj.date().isoformat()
+    return date_obj.isoformat()
 
 
 def time_parser(timestamp: str) -> float:
diff --git a/backend/common/tests/test_src/test_helper.py b/backend/common/tests/test_src/test_helper.py
index e99808cd..013e774b 100644
--- a/backend/common/tests/test_src/test_helper.py
+++ b/backend/common/tests/test_src/test_helper.py
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ def test_randomizor_with_positive_length():
 def test_date_parser_with_int():
     """unix timestamp"""
     timestamp = 1621539600
-    expected_date = "2021-05-20"
+    expected_date = "2021-05-20T19:40:00+00:00"
     assert date_parser(timestamp) == expected_date
 
 
 def test_date_parser_with_str():
     """iso timestamp"""
     date_str = "2021-05-21"
-    expected_date = "2021-05-21"
+    expected_date = "2021-05-21T00:00:00+00:00"
     assert date_parser(date_str) == expected_date
 
 
diff --git a/backend/download/src/queue.py b/backend/download/src/queue.py
index 08be6906..7110ceaf 100644
--- a/backend/download/src/queue.py
+++ b/backend/download/src/queue.py
@@ -336,9 +336,6 @@ class PendingList(PendingIndex):
     def _parse_youtube_details(self, vid, vid_type=VideoTypeEnum.VIDEOS):
         """parse response"""
         vid_id = vid.get("id")
-        published = datetime.strptime(vid["upload_date"], "%Y%m%d").strftime(
-            "%Y-%m-%d"
-        )
 
         # build dict
         youtube_details = {
@@ -348,10 +345,23 @@ class PendingList(PendingIndex):
             "title": vid["title"],
             "channel_id": vid["channel_id"],
             "duration": get_duration_str(vid["duration"]),
-            "published": published,
+            "published": self._build_published(vid),
             "timestamp": int(datetime.now().timestamp()),
             "vid_type": vid_type.value,
             "channel_indexed": vid["channel_id"] in self.all_channels,
         }
 
         return youtube_details
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _build_published(vid):
+        """build published date or timestamp"""
+        timestamp = vid["timestamp"]
+        if timestamp:
+            return timestamp
+
+        upload_date = vid["upload_date"]
+        upload_date_time = datetime.strptime(upload_date, "%Y%m%d")
+        published = upload_date_time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+
+        return published
diff --git a/backend/video/src/index.py b/backend/video/src/index.py
index 42ce02ac..01b8435b 100644
--- a/backend/video/src/index.py
+++ b/backend/video/src/index.py
@@ -173,9 +173,6 @@ class YoutubeVideo(YouTubeItem, YoutubeSubtitle):
         self._validate_id()
         # extract
         self.channel_id = self.youtube_meta["channel_id"]
-        upload_date = self.youtube_meta["upload_date"]
-        upload_date_time = datetime.strptime(upload_date, "%Y%m%d")
-        published = upload_date_time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
         last_refresh = int(datetime.now().timestamp())
         # base64_blur = ThumbManager().get_base64_blur(self.youtube_id)
         base64_blur = False
@@ -187,7 +184,7 @@ class YoutubeVideo(YouTubeItem, YoutubeSubtitle):
             "vid_thumb_url": self.youtube_meta["thumbnail"],
             "vid_thumb_base64": base64_blur,
             "tags": self.youtube_meta.get("tags", []),
-            "published": published,
+            "published": self._build_published(),
             "vid_last_refresh": last_refresh,
             "date_downloaded": last_refresh,
             "youtube_id": self.youtube_id,
@@ -196,6 +193,18 @@ class YoutubeVideo(YouTubeItem, YoutubeSubtitle):
             "active": True,
         }
 
+    def _build_published(self):
+        """build published date or timestamp"""
+        timestamp = self.youtube_meta["timestamp"]
+        if timestamp:
+            return timestamp
+
+        upload_date = self.youtube_meta["upload_date"]
+        upload_date_time = datetime.strptime(upload_date, "%Y%m%d")
+        published = upload_date_time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+
+        return published
+
     def _validate_id(self):
         """validate expected video ID, raise value error on mismatch"""
         remote_id = self.youtube_meta["id"]