diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/notificationService.js b/apps/api/src/services/notificationService.js
index af13c04bfa..30030ca902 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/notificationService.js
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/notificationService.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export async function listNotifications() {
 }
 
 export async function createNotification(payload) {
-  const notification = { id: `ntf_${Date.now()}`, read: false, ...payload };
+  const notification = { id: `ntf_${Date.now()}`, read: false, ...payload, createdAt: new Date().toISOString() };
   notifications.push(notification);
   return notification;
 }
diff --git a/apps/api/src/tests/notificationService.test.js b/apps/api/src/tests/notificationService.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..010143328a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/tests/notificationService.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { createNotification } from "../services/notificationService.js";
+
+test("createNotification adds a server-side createdAt timestamp", async () => {
+  const notification = await createNotification({
+    userId: "usr_123",
+    title: "Proposal update",
+    body: "A freelancer sent a proposal.",
+    createdAt: "2000-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
+  });
+
+  assert.match(notification.createdAt, /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T/);
+  assert.notEqual(notification.createdAt, "2000-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+});