diff --git a/tubesync/sync/management/commands/import-existing-media.py b/tubesync/sync/management/commands/import-existing-media.py
index fd6a800d..66f6648c 100644
--- a/tubesync/sync/management/commands/import-existing-media.py
+++ b/tubesync/sync/management/commands/import-existing-media.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+from datetime import timedelta
 from pathlib import Path
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
 from common.logger import log
@@ -54,5 +55,16 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                 item.media_file.name = str(Path(filepath).relative_to(item.media_file.storage.location))
                 item.downloaded = True
                 item.downloaded_filesize = Path(filepath).stat().st_size
+                # set a reasonable download date
+                date = item.posix_epoch + timedelta(seconds=Path(filepath).stat().st_mtime)
+                if item.published and item.published > date:
+                    date = item.published
+                if item.has_metadata:
+                    metadata_date = item.posix_epoch + timedelta(seconds=item.loaded_metadata.get('epoch', 0))
+                    if metadata_date and metadata_date > date:
+                        date = metadata_date
+                if item.download_date and item.download_date > date:
+                    date = item.download_date
+                item.download_date = date
                 item.save()
         log.info('Done')