diff --git a/internal/exporter/reanimator_converter_test.go b/internal/exporter/reanimator_converter_test.go
index eabf9bd..911a1e1 100644
--- a/internal/exporter/reanimator_converter_test.go
+++ b/internal/exporter/reanimator_converter_test.go
@@ -656,6 +656,43 @@ func TestConvertToReanimator_DeduplicatesAllSections(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestConvertToReanimator_StatusFallbackUsesCollectedAt(t *testing.T) {
+	collectedAt := time.Date(2026, 2, 10, 15, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	input := &models.AnalysisResult{
+		Filename:    "status-fallback.json",
+		CollectedAt: collectedAt,
+		Hardware: &models.HardwareConfig{
+			BoardInfo: models.BoardInfo{SerialNumber: "BOARD-001"},
+			Storage: []models.Storage{
+				{
+					Slot:         "U.2-1",
+					Model:        "PM9A3",
+					SerialNumber: "SSD-001",
+					Present:      true,
+					Status:       "OK",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	out, err := ConvertToReanimator(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ConvertToReanimator() failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(out.Hardware.Storage) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 1 storage entry, got %d", len(out.Hardware.Storage))
+	}
+
+	wantTs := collectedAt.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
+	got := out.Hardware.Storage[0]
+	if got.StatusCheckedAt != wantTs {
+		t.Fatalf("expected status_checked_at=%q, got %q", wantTs, got.StatusCheckedAt)
+	}
+	if got.StatusAtCollect == nil || got.StatusAtCollect.At != wantTs {
+		t.Fatalf("expected status_at_collection.at=%q, got %#v", wantTs, got.StatusAtCollect)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestConvertToReanimator_FirmwareExcludesDeviceBoundEntries(t *testing.T) {
 	input := &models.AnalysisResult{
 		Filename: "fw-filter-test.json",
diff --git a/internal/server/handlers.go b/internal/server/handlers.go
index c80c8d5..35892fb 100644
--- a/internal/server/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/server/handlers.go
@@ -1589,7 +1589,29 @@ func applyArchiveSourceMetadata(result *models.AnalysisResult) {
 	result.SourceType = models.SourceTypeArchive
 	result.Protocol = ""
 	result.TargetHost = ""
-	result.CollectedAt = time.Now().UTC()
+	if result.CollectedAt.IsZero() {
+		result.CollectedAt = inferArchiveCollectedAt(result)
+	}
+}
+
+func inferArchiveCollectedAt(result *models.AnalysisResult) time.Time {
+	if result == nil {
+		return time.Now().UTC()
+	}
+
+	var latest time.Time
+	for _, event := range result.Events {
+		if event.Timestamp.IsZero() {
+			continue
+		}
+		if latest.IsZero() || event.Timestamp.After(latest) {
+			latest = event.Timestamp
+		}
+	}
+	if !latest.IsZero() {
+		return latest.UTC()
+	}
+	return time.Now().UTC()
 }
 
 func applyCollectSourceMetadata(result *models.AnalysisResult, req CollectRequest) {
diff --git a/internal/server/source_metadata_test.go b/internal/server/source_metadata_test.go
index e8e6396..6934904 100644
--- a/internal/server/source_metadata_test.go
+++ b/internal/server/source_metadata_test.go
@@ -30,6 +30,36 @@ func TestApplyArchiveSourceMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestApplyArchiveSourceMetadata_PreservesExistingCollectedAt(t *testing.T) {
+	expected := time.Date(2026, 2, 10, 15, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	result := &models.AnalysisResult{
+		CollectedAt: expected,
+	}
+
+	applyArchiveSourceMetadata(result)
+
+	if !result.CollectedAt.Equal(expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected collected_at to be preserved: got %s want %s", result.CollectedAt, expected)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestApplyArchiveSourceMetadata_InferCollectedAtFromEvents(t *testing.T) {
+	oldTs := time.Date(2026, 2, 10, 13, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	newTs := time.Date(2026, 2, 10, 15, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	result := &models.AnalysisResult{
+		Events: []models.Event{
+			{Timestamp: oldTs},
+			{Timestamp: newTs},
+		},
+	}
+
+	applyArchiveSourceMetadata(result)
+
+	if !result.CollectedAt.Equal(newTs) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected collected_at from latest event: got %s want %s", result.CollectedAt, newTs)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestApplyCollectSourceMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	req := CollectRequest{
 		Host:     "bmc-api.local",