diff --git a/src/key.js b/src/key.js
index 49418e60..8f9d23b7 100644
--- a/src/key.js
+++ b/src/key.js
@@ -1103,6 +1103,7 @@ export function readArmored(armoredText) {
  * @param {Boolean} [options.unlocked=false]    The secret part of the generated key is unlocked
  * @param {Number} [options.keyExpirationTime=0]
  *                             The number of seconds after the key creation time that the key expires
+ * @param  {Date} date         Override the creation date of the key and the key signatures
  * @returns {Promise<module:key.Key>}
  * @async
  * @static
@@ -1154,7 +1155,7 @@ export function generate(options) {
   });
 
   function generateSecretKey() {
-    secretKeyPacket = new packet.SecretKey();
+    secretKeyPacket = new packet.SecretKey(options.date);
     secretKeyPacket.packets = null;
     secretKeyPacket.algorithm = enums.read(enums.publicKey, options.keyType);
     options.curve = options.curve === enums.curve.curve25519 ? enums.curve.ed25519 : options.curve;
@@ -1162,7 +1163,7 @@ export function generate(options) {
   }
 
   function generateSecretSubkey() {
-    secretSubkeyPacket = new packet.SecretSubkey();
+    secretSubkeyPacket = new packet.SecretSubkey(options.date);
     secretKeyPacket.packets = null;
     secretSubkeyPacket.algorithm = enums.read(enums.publicKey, options.subkeyType);
     options.curve = options.curve === enums.curve.ed25519 ? enums.curve.curve25519 : options.curve;
@@ -1245,7 +1246,7 @@ async function wrapKeyObject(secretKeyPacket, secretSubkeyPacket, options) {
     const dataToSign = {};
     dataToSign.userid = userIdPacket;
     dataToSign.key = secretKeyPacket;
-    const signaturePacket = new packet.Signature();
+    const signaturePacket = new packet.Signature(options.date);
     signaturePacket.signatureType = enums.signature.cert_generic;
     signaturePacket.publicKeyAlgorithm = options.keyType;
     signaturePacket.hashAlgorithm = await getPreferredHashAlgo(secretKeyPacket);
@@ -1290,7 +1291,7 @@ async function wrapKeyObject(secretKeyPacket, secretSubkeyPacket, options) {
     const dataToSign = {};
     dataToSign.key = secretKeyPacket;
     dataToSign.bind = secretSubkeyPacket;
-    const subkeySignaturePacket = new packet.Signature();
+    const subkeySignaturePacket = new packet.Signature(options.date);
     subkeySignaturePacket.signatureType = enums.signature.subkey_binding;
     subkeySignaturePacket.publicKeyAlgorithm = options.keyType;
     subkeySignaturePacket.hashAlgorithm = await getPreferredHashAlgo(secretSubkeyPacket);
diff --git a/src/openpgp.js b/src/openpgp.js
index efd21cce..b1d77d0a 100644
--- a/src/openpgp.js
+++ b/src/openpgp.js
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ export function destroyWorker() {
  *                                              brainpoolP256r1, brainpoolP384r1, or brainpoolP512r1.
  * @param  {Boolean} unlocked        (optional) If the returned secret part of the generated key is unlocked
  * @param  {Number} keyExpirationTime (optional) The number of seconds after the key creation time that the key expires
+ * @param  {Date} date               (optional) override the creation date of the key and the key signatures
  * @returns {Promise<Object>}         The generated key object in the form:
  *                                     { key:Key, privateKeyArmored:String, publicKeyArmored:String }
  * @async
@@ -111,11 +112,11 @@ export function destroyWorker() {
  */
 
 export function generateKey({
-  userIds=[], passphrase, numBits=2048, unlocked=false, keyExpirationTime=0, curve=""
+  userIds=[], passphrase, numBits=2048, unlocked=false, keyExpirationTime=0, curve="", date=new Date()
 } = {}) {
   userIds = formatUserIds(userIds);
   const options = {
-    userIds, passphrase, numBits, unlocked, keyExpirationTime, curve
+    userIds, passphrase, numBits, unlocked, keyExpirationTime, curve, date
   };
 
   if (util.getWebCryptoAll() && numBits < 2048) {
diff --git a/src/packet/public_key.js b/src/packet/public_key.js
index f9b242ec..de2bb5fc 100644
--- a/src/packet/public_key.js
+++ b/src/packet/public_key.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import util from '../util';
  * @memberof module:packet
  * @constructor
  */
-function PublicKey() {
+function PublicKey(date=new Date()) {
   /**
    * Packet type
    * @type {module:enums.packet}
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function PublicKey() {
    * Key creation date.
    * @type {Date}
    */
-  this.created = util.normalizeDate();
+  this.created = util.normalizeDate(date);
   /**
    * Algorithm specific params
    * @type {Array<Object>}
diff --git a/src/packet/secret_key.js b/src/packet/secret_key.js
index 4255e4a1..80135a98 100644
--- a/src/packet/secret_key.js
+++ b/src/packet/secret_key.js
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ import util from '../util';
  * @constructor
  * @extends module:packet.PublicKey
  */
-function SecretKey() {
-  publicKey.call(this);
+function SecretKey(date=new Date()) {
+  publicKey.call(this, date);
   /**
    * Packet type
    * @type {module:enums.packet}
diff --git a/src/packet/secret_subkey.js b/src/packet/secret_subkey.js
index 74a9c298..e6f2ac4d 100644
--- a/src/packet/secret_subkey.js
+++ b/src/packet/secret_subkey.js
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ import enums from '../enums';
  * @constructor
  * @extends module:packet.SecretKey
  */
-function SecretSubkey() {
-  secretKey.call(this);
+function SecretSubkey(date=new Date()) {
+  secretKey.call(this, date);
   this.tag = enums.packet.secretSubkey;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/general/key.js b/test/general/key.js
index 1349b65e..425962a6 100644
--- a/test/general/key.js
+++ b/test/general/key.js
@@ -1076,6 +1076,23 @@ describe('Key', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('Generate key - setting date to the past', function() {
+    const past = new Date(0);
+    const opt = {
+      userIds: { name: 'Test User', email: 'text@example.com' },
+      passphrase: 'secret',
+      unlocked: true,
+      date: past
+    };
+
+    return openpgp.generateKey(opt).then(function(newKey) {
+      expect(newKey.key).to.exist;
+      expect(+newKey.key.primaryKey.created).to.equal(+past);
+      expect(+newKey.key.subKeys[0].subKey.created).to.equal(+past);
+      expect(+newKey.key.subKeys[0].bindingSignatures[0].created).to.equal(+past);
+    });
+  })
+
   it('Generate key - multi userid', function() {
     const userId1 = 'test <a@b.com>';
     const userId2 = 'test <b@c.com>';
diff --git a/test/general/openpgp.js b/test/general/openpgp.js
index 72f62492..2ff92576 100644
--- a/test/general/openpgp.js
+++ b/test/general/openpgp.js
@@ -483,10 +483,12 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
     });
 
     it('should have default params set', function() {
+      const now = new Date();
       const opt = {
         userIds: { name: 'Test User', email: 'text@example.com' },
         passphrase: 'secret',
-        unlocked: true
+        unlocked: true,
+        date: now
       };
       return openpgp.generateKey(opt).then(function(newKey) {
         expect(keyGenStub.withArgs({
@@ -495,7 +497,8 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
           numBits: 2048,
           unlocked: true,
           keyExpirationTime: 0,
-          curve: ""
+          curve: "",
+          date: now
         }).calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(newKey.key).to.exist;
         expect(newKey.privateKeyArmored).to.exist;
@@ -504,14 +507,17 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
     });
 
     it('should work for no params', function() {
-      return openpgp.generateKey().then(function(newKey) {
+      const now = new Date();
+
+      return openpgp.generateKey({date: now}).then(function(newKey) {
         expect(keyGenStub.withArgs({
           userIds: [],
           passphrase: undefined,
           numBits: 2048,
           unlocked: false,
           keyExpirationTime: 0,
-          curve: ""
+          curve: "",
+          date: now
         }).calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(newKey.key).to.exist;
       });