diff --git a/network/network.go b/network/network.go
index 6b6d9e35969..8a41babafba 100644
--- a/network/network.go
+++ b/network/network.go
@@ -347,20 +347,28 @@ func (n *network) HealthCheck(context.Context) (interface{}, error) {
 	// Make sure we've received an incoming message within the threshold
 	now := n.peerConfig.Clock.Time()
 
-	lastMsgReceivedAt := time.Unix(atomic.LoadInt64(&n.peerConfig.LastReceived), 0)
-	timeSinceLastMsgReceived := now.Sub(lastMsgReceivedAt)
-	wasMsgReceivedRecently := timeSinceLastMsgReceived <= n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgReceived
+	lastMsgReceivedAt, msgReceived := n.getLastReceived()
+	wasMsgReceivedRecently := msgReceived
+	timeSinceLastMsgReceived := time.Duration(0)
+	if msgReceived {
+		timeSinceLastMsgReceived = now.Sub(lastMsgReceivedAt)
+		wasMsgReceivedRecently = timeSinceLastMsgReceived <= n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgReceived
+		details[TimeSinceLastMsgReceivedKey] = timeSinceLastMsgReceived.String()
+		n.metrics.timeSinceLastMsgReceived.Set(float64(timeSinceLastMsgReceived))
+	}
 	healthy = healthy && wasMsgReceivedRecently
-	details[TimeSinceLastMsgReceivedKey] = timeSinceLastMsgReceived.String()
-	n.metrics.timeSinceLastMsgReceived.Set(float64(timeSinceLastMsgReceived))
 
 	// Make sure we've sent an outgoing message within the threshold
-	lastMsgSentAt := time.Unix(atomic.LoadInt64(&n.peerConfig.LastSent), 0)
-	timeSinceLastMsgSent := now.Sub(lastMsgSentAt)
-	wasMsgSentRecently := timeSinceLastMsgSent <= n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgSent
+	lastMsgSentAt, msgSent := n.getLastSent()
+	wasMsgSentRecently := msgSent
+	timeSinceLastMsgSent := time.Duration(0)
+	if msgSent {
+		timeSinceLastMsgSent = now.Sub(lastMsgSentAt)
+		wasMsgSentRecently = timeSinceLastMsgSent <= n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgSent
+		details[TimeSinceLastMsgSentKey] = timeSinceLastMsgSent.String()
+		n.metrics.timeSinceLastMsgSent.Set(float64(timeSinceLastMsgSent))
+	}
 	healthy = healthy && wasMsgSentRecently
-	details[TimeSinceLastMsgSentKey] = timeSinceLastMsgSent.String()
-	n.metrics.timeSinceLastMsgSent.Set(float64(timeSinceLastMsgSent))
 
 	// Make sure the message send failed rate isn't too high
 	isMsgFailRate := sendFailRate <= n.config.HealthConfig.MaxSendFailRate
@@ -380,12 +388,17 @@ func (n *network) HealthCheck(context.Context) (interface{}, error) {
 	if !isConnected {
 		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, fmt.Sprintf("not connected to a minimum of %d peer(s) only %d", n.config.HealthConfig.MinConnectedPeers, connectedTo))
 	}
-	if !wasMsgReceivedRecently {
+	if !msgReceived {
+		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, "no messages received from network")
+	} else if !wasMsgReceivedRecently {
 		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, fmt.Sprintf("no messages from network received in %s > %s", timeSinceLastMsgReceived, n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgReceived))
 	}
-	if !wasMsgSentRecently {
+	if !msgSent {
+		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, "no messages sent to network")
+	} else if !wasMsgSentRecently {
 		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, fmt.Sprintf("no messages from network sent in %s > %s", timeSinceLastMsgSent, n.config.HealthConfig.MaxTimeSinceMsgSent))
 	}
+
 	if !isMsgFailRate {
 		errorReasons = append(errorReasons, fmt.Sprintf("messages failure send rate %g > %g", sendFailRate, n.config.HealthConfig.MaxSendFailRate))
 	}
@@ -1418,3 +1431,19 @@ func (n *network) gossipPeerLists() {
 		p.StartSendPeerList()
 	}
 }
+
+func (n *network) getLastReceived() (time.Time, bool) {
+	lastReceived := atomic.LoadInt64(&n.peerConfig.LastReceived)
+	if lastReceived == 0 {
+		return time.Time{}, false
+	}
+	return time.Unix(lastReceived, 0), true
+}
+
+func (n *network) getLastSent() (time.Time, bool) {
+	lastSent := atomic.LoadInt64(&n.peerConfig.LastSent)
+	if lastSent == 0 {
+		return time.Time{}, false
+	}
+	return time.Unix(lastSent, 0), true
+}
diff --git a/network/peer/peer.go b/network/peer/peer.go
index 4655b6f51e9..dfe670842be 100644
--- a/network/peer/peer.go
+++ b/network/peer/peer.go
@@ -267,8 +267,8 @@ func (p *peer) Info() Info {
 		PublicIP:              publicIPStr,
 		ID:                    p.id,
 		Version:               p.version.String(),
-		LastSent:              time.Unix(atomic.LoadInt64(&p.lastSent), 0),
-		LastReceived:          time.Unix(atomic.LoadInt64(&p.lastReceived), 0),
+		LastSent:              p.LastSent(),
+		LastReceived:          p.LastReceived(),
 		ObservedUptime:        json.Uint32(primaryUptime),
 		ObservedSubnetUptimes: uptimes,
 		TrackedSubnets:        trackedSubnets,
@@ -468,9 +468,8 @@ func (p *peer) readMessages() {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		now := p.Clock.Time().Unix()
-		atomic.StoreInt64(&p.Config.LastReceived, now)
-		atomic.StoreInt64(&p.lastReceived, now)
+		now := p.Clock.Time()
+		p.storeLastReceived(now)
 		p.Metrics.Received(msg, msgLen)
 
 		// Handle the message. Note that when we are done handling this message,
@@ -578,9 +577,8 @@ func (p *peer) writeMessage(writer io.Writer, msg message.OutboundMessage) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	now := p.Clock.Time().Unix()
-	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.Config.LastSent, now)
-	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.lastSent, now)
+	now := p.Clock.Time()
+	p.storeLastSent(now)
 	p.Metrics.Sent(msg)
 }
 
@@ -1073,3 +1071,15 @@ func (p *peer) handlePeerListAck(msg *p2p.PeerListAck) {
 func (p *peer) nextTimeout() time.Time {
 	return p.Clock.Time().Add(p.PongTimeout)
 }
+
+func (p *peer) storeLastSent(time time.Time) {
+	unixTime := time.Unix()
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.Config.LastSent, unixTime)
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.lastSent, unixTime)
+}
+
+func (p *peer) storeLastReceived(time time.Time) {
+	unixTime := time.Unix()
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.Config.LastReceived, unixTime)
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&p.lastReceived, unixTime)
+}