diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index 9878e46d..8cced486 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from utils import validNickname
 from utils import locatePost
 from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
+from utils import getCreationTimeOfFile
 from capabilities import getOcapFilename
 from capabilities import capabilitiesUpdate
 from media import attachMedia
@@ -2288,10 +2289,10 @@ def archivePostsForPerson(httpPrefix: str,nickname: str,domain: str,baseDir: str
         postFilename=postFilename.name
         if not postFilename.endswith('.json'):
             continue
-        # extract the status number
-        statusNumber=getStatusNumberFromPostFilename(postFilename)
-        if statusNumber:
-            postsInBoxDict[statusNumber]=os.path.join(boxDir, postFilename)
+        # Time of file creation
+        secondsSinceEpoch=getCreationTimeOfFile(postFilename)
+        if secondsSinceEpoch:
+            postsInBoxDict[secondsSinceEpoch]=os.path.join(boxDir, postFilename)
             postsCtr+=1
 
     noOfPosts=postsCtr
@@ -2303,7 +2304,7 @@ def archivePostsForPerson(httpPrefix: str,nickname: str,domain: str,baseDir: str
     # directory containing cached html posts
     postCacheDir=boxDir.replace('/'+boxname,'/postcache')
 
-    for statusNumber,postFilename in postsInBox.items():
+    for secondsSinceEpoch,postFilename in postsInBox.items():
         filePath = os.path.join(boxDir, postFilename)        
         if not os.path.isfile(filePath):
             continue
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 53c25a53..d7c56ba0 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -431,3 +431,8 @@ def getCachedPostFilename(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
         getCachedPostDirectory(baseDir,nickname,domain)+ \
         '/'+postJsonObject['id'].replace('/activity','').replace('/','#')+'.html'
     return cachedPostFilename
+
+def getCreationTimeOfFile(filename: str):
+    """Gets the time of creation of a file in seconds since epoch
+    """
+    return os.stat(filename).st_ctime