diff --git a/src/ircmsgs.py b/src/ircmsgs.py
index ebeb2c79c..6ed2e3b0a 100644
--- a/src/ircmsgs.py
+++ b/src/ircmsgs.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class IrcMsg(object):
     # On second thought, let's use methods for tagging.
     __slots__ = ('args', 'command', 'host', 'nick', 'prefix', 'user',
                  '_hash', '_str', '_repr', '_len', 'tags', 'reply_env',
-                 'server_tags')
+                 'server_tags', 'time')
     def __init__(self, s='', command='', args=(), prefix='', msg=None,
             reply_env=None):
         assert not (msg and s), 'IrcMsg.__init__ cannot accept both s and msg'
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ class IrcMsg(object):
                 else:
                     self.args = s.split()
                 self.command = self.args.pop(0)
+                self.time = time.time()
             except (IndexError, ValueError):
                 raise MalformedIrcMsg(repr(originalString))
         else:
@@ -171,11 +172,14 @@ class IrcMsg(object):
                 else:
                     self.reply_env = None
                 self.tags = msg.tags.copy()
+                self.server_tags = msg.server_tags
+                self.time = msg.time
             else:
                 self.prefix = prefix
                 self.command = command
                 assert all(ircutils.isValidArgument, args), args
                 self.args = args
+                self.time = None
         self.args = tuple(self.args)
         if isUserHostmask(self.prefix):
             (self.nick,self.user,self.host)=ircutils.splitHostmask(self.prefix)
diff --git a/test/test_ircmsgs.py b/test/test_ircmsgs.py
index 583d0896a..9725c6e9a 100644
--- a/test/test_ircmsgs.py
+++ b/test/test_ircmsgs.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 from supybot.test import *
 
+import time
 import copy
 import pickle
 
@@ -94,6 +95,11 @@ class IrcMsgTestCase(SupyTestCase):
                           ircmsgs.IrcMsg,
                           args=('foo', 'bar'),
                           prefix='foo!bar@baz')
+        m = ircmsgs.IrcMsg(prefix='foo!bar@baz', args=('foo', 'bar'),
+                            command='CMD')
+        self.assertIs(m.time, None)
+        m.time = 24
+        self.assertEqual(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(msg=m).time, 24)
 
     def testPickleCopy(self):
         for msg in msgs:
@@ -141,6 +147,12 @@ class IrcMsgTestCase(SupyTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(m.args, ('me', 'Hello'))
         self.assertEqual(str(m), s + '\n')
 
+    def testTime(self):
+        before = time.time()
+        msg = ircmsgs.IrcMsg('PRIVMSG #foo :foo')
+        after = time.time()
+        self.assertTrue(before <= msg.time <= after)
+
 class FunctionsTestCase(SupyTestCase):
     def testIsAction(self):
         L = [':jemfinch!~jfincher@ts26-2.homenet.ohio-state.edu PRIVMSG'