diff --git a/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/destroyed.rs b/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/destroyed.rs
index 263acf26ded..eaf45f1dba0 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/destroyed.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/destroyed.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use super::NexusActionContext;
 use super::NexusSaga;
 use crate::app::sagas::declare_saga_actions;
 use crate::app::sagas::ActionError;
+use chrono::Utc;
 use nexus_db_model::Generation;
 use nexus_db_model::Instance;
 use nexus_db_model::InstanceRuntimeState;
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ async fn siud_update_instance(
         propolis_id: None,
         nexus_state: InstanceState::NoVmm,
         gen: Generation(instance.runtime_state.gen.0.next()),
+        time_updated: Utc::now(),
         ..instance.runtime_state
     };
 
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/migration.rs b/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/migration.rs
index bae8ce7590f..c382fbf30b7 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/migration.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/sagas/instance_update/migration.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::app::db::model::Instance;
 use crate::app::db::model::Migration;
 use crate::app::db::model::MigrationState;
 use crate::app::sagas::declare_saga_actions;
+use chrono::Utc;
 use nexus_db_queries::db::lookup::LookupPath;
 use nexus_db_queries::{authn, authz};
 use omicron_common::api::external::Error;
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ async fn sium_update_instance_record(
 
     let mut new_runtime = instance.runtime().clone();
     new_runtime.gen = Generation(new_runtime.gen.next());
+    new_runtime.time_updated = Utc::now();
 
     // Determine how to update the instance record to reflect the current
     // migration state.