diff --git a/src/keri/app/notifying.py b/src/keri/app/notifying.py
index 371815f9..4ad03d22 100644
--- a/src/keri/app/notifying.py
+++ b/src/keri/app/notifying.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 keri.app.notifying module
 
 """
-import datetime
 from collections.abc import Iterable
 from typing import Union, Type
 
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ def __init__(self, raw=b'', pad=None, note=None):
             raise ValueError(f"invalid notice, missing attributes in {pad}")
 
         if "dt" not in self._pad:
-            self._pad["dt"] = datetime.datetime.now().isoformat()
+            self._pad["dt"] = helping.nowIso8601()
 
     @property
     def datetime(self):
@@ -386,7 +385,7 @@ def add(self, attrs):
 
         """
 
-        note = notice(attrs, dt=datetime.datetime.now())
+        note = notice(attrs, dt=helping.nowIso8601())
         cig = self.hby.signator.sign(ser=note.raw)
         if self.noter.add(note, cig):
             signal = dict(
diff --git a/src/keri/app/signaling.py b/src/keri/app/signaling.py
index f32e9dbe..fa44c18f 100644
--- a/src/keri/app/signaling.py
+++ b/src/keri/app/signaling.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def signal(attrs, topic, ckey=None, dt=None):
         Notice:  Notice instance
 
     """
-    dt = dt if dt is not None else datetime.datetime.now().isoformat()
+    dt = dt if dt is not None else helping.nowIso8601()
 
     if hasattr(dt, "isoformat"):
         dt = dt.isoformat()
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def push(self, attrs, topic, ckey=None, dt=None):
         Returns:
 
         """
-        dt = dt if dt is not None else datetime.datetime.now()
+        dt = dt if dt is not None else helping.nowIso8601()
         sig = signal(attrs=attrs, topic=topic, ckey=ckey, dt=dt)
 
         if sig.ckey is not None:
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def expireDo(self, tymth=None, tock=0.0):
         _ = (yield self.tock)
 
         while True:  # loop checking for expired messages
-            now = datetime.datetime.now()
+            now = helping.nowUTC()
             toRemove = []
             for sig in self.signals:
                 if now - helping.fromIso8601(sig.dt) > self.SignalTimeout:  # Expire messages that are too old
diff --git a/tests/app/test_notifying.py b/tests/app/test_notifying.py
index b02bd91c..a62bb620 100644
--- a/tests/app/test_notifying.py
+++ b/tests/app/test_notifying.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def test_dictersuber():
         assert res[2].attrs['a'] == 3
 
 
-def test_noter():
+def test_noter(mockHelpingNowUTC):
     noter = notifying.Noter()
     assert noter.path.endswith("/not/not")
     noter.reopen()
@@ -137,12 +137,14 @@ def test_noter():
     notes = noter.getNotes(start=0)
     assert len(notes) == 0
 
-    dt = datetime.datetime.now()
-    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=1))
+    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=1), 
+                            dt=helping.fromIso8601("2022-07-08T15:01:05.453632"))
     assert noter.add(note, cig) is True
-    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=2))
+    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=2), 
+                            dt=helping.fromIso8601("2022-07-08T15:01:06.453632"))
     assert noter.add(note, cig) is True
-    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=3))
+    note = notifying.notice(attrs=dict(a=3), 
+                            dt=helping.fromIso8601("2022-07-08T15:01:07.453632"))
     assert noter.add(note, cig) is True
 
     res = []
@@ -164,12 +166,13 @@ def test_noter():
         res.append(note)
 
     assert len(res) == 5
+    assert res[0][0].datetime == "2021-01-01T00:00:00.000000+00:00"
 
     cnt = noter.getNoteCnt()
     assert cnt == 13
 
 
-def test_notifier():
+def test_notifier(mockHelpingNowUTC):
     with habbing.openHby(name="test") as hby:
         notifier = notifying.Notifier(hby=hby)
         assert notifier.signaler is not None
@@ -200,7 +203,7 @@ def test_notifier():
         assert notifier.rem(note.rid) is True
         assert notifier.getNotes() == []
 
-        dt = datetime.datetime.now()
+        dt = helping.nowIso8601()
         assert notifier.add(attrs=dict(a=1)) is True
         assert notifier.add(attrs=dict(a=2)) is True
         assert notifier.add(attrs=dict(a=3)) is True
@@ -208,6 +211,8 @@ def test_notifier():
         notes = notifier.getNotes()
         assert len(notes) == 3
 
+        assert notes[2].datetime == "2021-01-01T00:00:00.000000+00:00"
+
     payload = dict(a=1, b=2, c=3)
     dt = helping.fromIso8601("2022-07-08T15:01:05.453632")
     cig = coring.Cigar(qb64="AABr1EJXI1sTuI51TXo4F1JjxIJzwPeCxa-Cfbboi7F4Y4GatPEvK629M7G_5c86_Ssvwg8POZWNMV-WreVqBECw")
diff --git a/tests/app/test_signaling.py b/tests/app/test_signaling.py
index 9010d9e8..fb8f8558 100644
--- a/tests/app/test_signaling.py
+++ b/tests/app/test_signaling.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def test_signaler():
     signaler.push(attrs=dict(a=1), topic="/m")
     signaler.push(attrs=dict(a=2), topic="/m", ckey="abc")
     signaler.push(attrs=dict(a=3), topic="/m")
-    now = datetime.datetime.now() - datetime.timedelta(minutes=11)
+    now = helping.nowUTC() - datetime.timedelta(minutes=11)
     signaler.push(attrs=dict(a=4), topic="/m", ckey="abc", dt=now)
 
     assert len(signaler.signals) == 3