diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index adc3bfd3b..3a2a94268 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ from donate import getDonationUrl
 from donate import setDonationUrl
 from donate import getWebsite
 from donate import setWebsite
+from person import addActorUpdateTimestamp
 from person import setPersonNotes
 from person import getDefaultPersonContext
 from person import getActorUpdateJson
@@ -5863,13 +5864,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                             actorJson['featuredTags'] = \
                                 actorJson['id'] + '/collections/tags'
                         randomizeActorImages(actorJson)
-                        # add an updated timestamp to the actor
-                        updatedTime = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-                        actorJson['updated'] = \
-                            updatedTime.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
-                        # add updated timestamp to avatar and banner
-                        actorJson['icon']['updated'] = actorJson['updated']
-                        actorJson['image']['updated'] = actorJson['updated']
+                        addActorUpdateTimestamp(actorJson)
                         # save the actor
                         saveJson(actorJson, actorFilename)
                         webfingerUpdate(baseDir,
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 46909cfcb..403875cb1 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import time
 import os
 import subprocess
 import shutil
+import datetime
 import pyqrcode
 from random import randint
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -1559,3 +1560,14 @@ def getPersonAvatarUrl(baseDir: str, personUrl: str, personCache: {},
             if '.svg' not in personJson['icon']['url'].lower():
                 return personJson['icon']['url']
     return None
+
+
+def addActorUpdateTimestamp(actorJson: {}) -> None:
+    """Adds 'updated' fields with a timestamp
+    """
+    updatedTime = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+    currDateStr = updatedTime.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+    actorJson['updated'] = currDateStr
+    # add updated timestamp to avatar and banner
+    actorJson['icon']['updated'] = currDateStr
+    actorJson['image']['updated'] = currDateStr