diff --git a/blobs.go b/blobs.go
index b7583cc7b..a2718b02c 100644
--- a/blobs.go
+++ b/blobs.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ type Descriptor struct {
 	// encoded as utf-8.
 	MediaType string `json:"mediaType,omitempty"`
 
+	// ModTime modification time for the file. For backends that
+	// don't have a modification time this may represent the creation time
+	ModTime time.Time
+
 	// Digest uniquely identifies the content. A byte stream can be verified
 	// against this digest.
 	Digest digest.Digest `json:"digest,omitempty"`
diff --git a/registry/storage/blobstore.go b/registry/storage/blobstore.go
index 5f4344d08..b5daf32ee 100644
--- a/registry/storage/blobstore.go
+++ b/registry/storage/blobstore.go
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ func (bs *blobStatter) Stat(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (distributi
 		// for the specific repository.
 		MediaType: "application/octet-stream",
 		Digest:    dgst,
+		ModTime:   fi.ModTime(),
 	}, nil
 }