diff --git a/core/application/app.go b/core/application/app.go
index 5f70fa62c..cc6fe7074 100644
--- a/core/application/app.go
+++ b/core/application/app.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package application
 
 import (
-	"time"
-
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/core/ports"
 )
 
@@ -12,25 +10,18 @@ type App interface {
 	ports.MicroVMCommandUseCases
 	ports.MicroVMQueryUseCases
 	ports.ReconcileMicroVMsUseCase
-	ports.HasTime
 }
 
 func New(cfg *Config, ports *ports.Collection) App {
 	return &app{
 		cfg:   cfg,
 		ports: ports,
-		clock: time.Now,
 	}
 }
 
 type app struct {
 	cfg   *Config
 	ports *ports.Collection
-	clock func() time.Time
-}
-
-func (a app) SetClock(clock func() time.Time) {
-	a.clock = clock
 }
 
 type Config struct {
diff --git a/core/application/app_test.go b/core/application/app_test.go
index 9838eca24..802f55ae1 100644
--- a/core/application/app_test.go
+++ b/core/application/app_test.go
@@ -143,13 +143,13 @@ func TestApp_CreateMicroVM(t *testing.T) {
 				NetworkService:    ns,
 				ImageService:      is,
 				FileSystem:        fs,
+				Clock:             frozenTime,
 			}
 
 			tc.expect(rm.EXPECT(), em.EXPECT(), im.EXPECT(), pm.EXPECT())
 
 			ctx := context.Background()
 			app := application.New(&application.Config{}, ports)
-			app.SetClock(frozenTime)
 			_, err := app.CreateMicroVM(ctx, tc.specToCreate)
 
 			if tc.expectError {
@@ -242,13 +242,13 @@ func TestApp_UpdateMicroVM(t *testing.T) {
 				NetworkService:    ns,
 				ImageService:      is,
 				FileSystem:        fs,
+				Clock:             frozenTime,
 			}
 
 			tc.expect(rm.EXPECT(), em.EXPECT(), im.EXPECT(), pm.EXPECT())
 
 			ctx := context.Background()
 			app := application.New(&application.Config{}, ports)
-			app.SetClock(frozenTime)
 			_, err := app.UpdateMicroVM(ctx, tc.specToUpdate)
 
 			if tc.expectError {
@@ -354,13 +354,13 @@ func TestApp_DeleteMicroVM(t *testing.T) {
 				NetworkService:    ns,
 				ImageService:      is,
 				FileSystem:        fs,
+				Clock:             frozenTime,
 			}
 
 			tc.expect(rm.EXPECT(), em.EXPECT(), im.EXPECT(), pm.EXPECT())
 
 			ctx := context.Background()
 			app := application.New(&application.Config{}, ports)
-			app.SetClock(frozenTime)
 			err := app.DeleteMicroVM(ctx, tc.toDeleteID, tc.toDeleteNS)
 
 			if tc.expectError {
diff --git a/core/application/commands.go b/core/application/commands.go
index c1c4e1ec5..d93f2d5ac 100644
--- a/core/application/commands.go
+++ b/core/application/commands.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func (a *app) CreateMicroVM(ctx context.Context, mvm *models.MicroVM) (*models.M
 	// TODO: validate the spec
 
 	// Set the timestamp when the VMspec was created.
-	mvm.Spec.CreatedAt = a.clock().UnixMilli()
+	mvm.Spec.CreatedAt = a.ports.Clock().UnixMilli()
 
 	createdMVM, err := a.ports.Repo.Save(ctx, mvm)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (a *app) UpdateMicroVM(ctx context.Context, mvm *models.MicroVM) (*models.M
 	// TODO: check if update is valid (i.e. compare existing to requested update)
 
 	// Set the timestamp when the VMspec was updated.
-	mvm.Spec.UpdatedAt = a.clock().UnixMilli()
+	mvm.Spec.UpdatedAt = a.ports.Clock().UnixMilli()
 
 	updatedMVM, err := a.ports.Repo.Save(ctx, mvm)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ func (a *app) DeleteMicroVM(ctx context.Context, id, namespace string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("microvm %s/%s doesn't exist, skipping delete", id, namespace)
 	}
 
-	foundMvm.Spec.DeletedAt = a.clock().UnixMilli()
+	// Set the timestamp when the VMspec was deleted.
+	foundMvm.Spec.DeletedAt = a.ports.Clock().UnixMilli()
 
 	_, err = a.ports.Repo.Save(ctx, foundMvm)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/core/ports/collection.go b/core/ports/collection.go
index 6d7e4b655..28e5f1e68 100644
--- a/core/ports/collection.go
+++ b/core/ports/collection.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package ports
 
-import "github.com/spf13/afero"
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+)
 
 type Collection struct {
 	Repo              MicroVMRepository
@@ -10,4 +14,5 @@ type Collection struct {
 	NetworkService    NetworkService
 	ImageService      ImageService
 	FileSystem        afero.Fs
+	Clock             func() time.Time
 }
diff --git a/internal/inject/wire.go b/internal/inject/wire.go
index 6275733db..00a064752 100644
--- a/internal/inject/wire.go
+++ b/internal/inject/wire.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package inject
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/wire"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ func appPorts(repo ports.MicroVMRepository, prov ports.MicroVMService, es ports.
 		NetworkService:    ns,
 		ImageService:      ims,
 		FileSystem:        fs,
+		Clock:             time.Now,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/inject/wire_gen.go b/internal/inject/wire_gen.go
index bfbbb3248..8c143a5d4 100644
--- a/internal/inject/wire_gen.go
+++ b/internal/inject/wire_gen.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ package inject
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/core/application"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/core/ports"
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/infrastructure/network"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/infrastructure/ulid"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/internal/config"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // Injectors from wire.go:
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func appPorts(repo ports.MicroVMRepository, prov ports.MicroVMService, es ports.
 		NetworkService:    ns,
 		ImageService:      ims,
 		FileSystem:        fs,
+		Clock:             time.Now,
 	}
 }