diff --git a/gateway/api.go b/gateway/api.go
index 34bc87f1aa2..11fa0594a78 100644
--- a/gateway/api.go
+++ b/gateway/api.go
@@ -348,6 +348,8 @@ func handleAddOrUpdate(keyName string, r *http.Request, isHashed bool) (interfac
 				}
 			}
 		}
+	} else {
+		newSession.DateCreated = time.Now()
 	}
 
 	// Update our session object (create it)
@@ -1189,6 +1191,7 @@ func createKeyHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	newSession.LastUpdated = strconv.Itoa(int(time.Now().Unix()))
+	newSession.DateCreated = time.Now()
 
 	if len(newSession.AccessRights) > 0 {
 		// reset API-level limit to nil if any has a zero-value
diff --git a/user/session.go b/user/session.go
index a9e925b336b..abb2010611e 100644
--- a/user/session.go
+++ b/user/session.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package user
 import (
 	"crypto/md5"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/TykTechnologies/tyk/config"
 	logger "github.com/TykTechnologies/tyk/log"
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ type SessionState struct {
 	Per                float64                     `json:"per" msg:"per"`
 	ThrottleInterval   float64                     `json:"throttle_interval" msg:"throttle_interval"`
 	ThrottleRetryLimit int                         `json:"throttle_retry_limit" msg:"throttle_retry_limit"`
+	DateCreated        time.Time                   `json:"date_created" msg:"date_created"`
 	Expires            int64                       `json:"expires" msg:"expires"`
 	QuotaMax           int64                       `json:"quota_max" msg:"quota_max"`
 	QuotaRenews        int64                       `json:"quota_renews" msg:"quota_renews"`