diff --git a/vast_csi/server.py b/vast_csi/server.py
index 2f12cb49..97553f97 100644
--- a/vast_csi/server.py
+++ b/vast_csi/server.py
@@ -34,7 +34,13 @@
 from easypy.bunch import Bunch
 
 from .logging import logger, init_logging
-from .utils import patch_traceback_format, get_mount, normalize_mount_options, parse_load_balancing_strategy
+from .utils import (
+    patch_traceback_format,
+    get_mount,
+    normalize_mount_options,
+    parse_load_balancing_strategy,
+    string_to_proto_timestamp
+)
 from . import csi_pb2_grpc
 from .csi_pb2_grpc import ControllerServicer, NodeServicer, IdentityServicer
 from . import csi_types as types
@@ -573,14 +579,11 @@ def CreateSnapshot(self, source_volume_id, name, parameters=None):
                 if not handled:
                     raise Abort(INVALID_ARGUMENT, str(exc))
 
-            creation_time = types.Timestamp()
-            creation_time.FromJsonString(snap.created)
-
             snp = types.Snapshot(
                 size_bytes=0,  # indicates 'unspecified'
                 snapshot_id=str(snap.id),
                 source_volume_id=volume_id,
-                creation_time=creation_time,
+                creation_time=string_to_proto_timestamp(snap.created),
                 ready_to_use=True,
             )
 
@@ -650,7 +653,6 @@ def to_snapshot(dentry):
             )
         else:
             page_size = max_entries or 250
-            ts = types.Timestamp()
 
             if starting_token:
                 ret = self.vms_session.get_by_token(starting_token)
@@ -663,7 +665,7 @@ def to_snapshot(dentry):
                         size_bytes=0,  # indicates 'unspecified'
                         snapshot_id=str(snap.id),
                         source_volume_id=self._to_volume_id(snap.path) or "n/a",
-                        creation_time=ts.FromJsonString(snap.created),
+                        creation_time=string_to_proto_timestamp(snap.created),
                         ready_to_use=True,
                     ))])
 
@@ -672,7 +674,7 @@ def to_snapshot(dentry):
                     size_bytes=0,  # indicates 'unspecified'
                     snapshot_id=str(snap.id),
                     source_volume_id=self._to_volume_id(snap.path) or "n/a",
-                    creation_time=ts.FromJsonString(snap.created),
+                    creation_time=string_to_proto_timestamp(snap.created),
                     ready_to_use=True,
                 )) for snap in ret.results])
 
diff --git a/vast_csi/utils.py b/vast_csi/utils.py
index 02582f24..277151f0 100644
--- a/vast_csi/utils.py
+++ b/vast_csi/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import re
+from datetime import datetime
 from requests.exceptions import HTTPError  # noqa
 
 from plumbum import local
@@ -9,6 +10,8 @@
     ROUNDROBIN,
     RANDOM,
 )
+from . import csi_types as types
+
 
 LOAD_BALANCING_STRATEGIES = {ROUNDROBIN, RANDOM}
 
@@ -119,3 +122,9 @@ def normalize_mount_options(mount_options: str):
     s = mount_options.strip()
     mount_options = list({p for p in s.split(",") if p})
     return mount_options
+
+
+def string_to_proto_timestamp(str_ts: str):
+    """Convert string to protobuf.Timestamp"""
+    t = datetime.fromisoformat(str_ts.rstrip("Z")).timestamp()
+    return types.Timestamp(seconds=int(t), nanos=int(t % 1 * 1e9))