diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Template/Listener/Timestampable.php b/lib/Doctrine/Template/Listener/Timestampable.php
index eb50ffa29..3756e98d7 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Template/Listener/Timestampable.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Template/Listener/Timestampable.php
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Listener_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Record_Listener
      * @var string
      */
     protected $_options = array();
-    
+
     /**
      * __construct
      *
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Listener_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Record_Listener
     {
         $this->_options = $options;
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * preInsert
      *
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Listener_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Record_Listener
             $event->getInvoker()->$updatedName = $this->getTimestamp('updated');
         }
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * preUpdate
      *
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Listener_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Record_Listener
             $event->getInvoker()->$updatedName = $this->getTimestamp('updated');
         }
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * getTimestamp
      *
@@ -94,13 +94,17 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Listener_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Record_Listener
     public function getTimestamp($type)
     {
         $options = $this->_options[$type];
-        
-        if ($options['type'] == 'date') {
-            return date($options['format'], time());
-        } else if ($options['type'] == 'timestamp') {
-            return date($options['format'], time());
+
+        if ($options['expression'] !== false && is_string($options['expression'])) {
+            return new Doctrine_Expression($options['expression']);
         } else {
-            return time();
+            if ($options['type'] == 'date') {
+                return date($options['format'], time());
+            } else if ($options['type'] == 'timestamp') {
+                return date($options['format'], time());
+            } else {
+                return time();
+            }
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Template/Timestampable.php b/lib/Doctrine/Template/Timestampable.php
index 0d6fc3cf4..5718cbb20 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Template/Timestampable.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Template/Timestampable.php
@@ -39,17 +39,19 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Template
      *
      * @var string
      */
-    protected $_options = array('created' =>  array('name'    =>  'created_at',
-                                                    'type'    =>  'timestamp',
-                                                    'format'  =>  'Y-m-d H:i:s',
-                                                    'disabled' => false,
-                                                    'options' =>  array()),
-                                'updated' =>  array('name'    =>  'updated_at',
-                                                    'type'    =>  'timestamp',
-                                                    'format'  =>  'Y-m-d H:i:s',
-                                                    'disabled' => false,
-                                                    'options' =>  array()));
-    
+    protected $_options = array('created' =>  array('name'          =>  'created_at',
+                                                    'type'          =>  'timestamp',
+                                                    'format'        =>  'Y-m-d H:i:s',
+                                                    'disabled'      => false,
+                                                    'expression'    => false,
+                                                    'options'       =>  array()),
+                                'updated' =>  array('name'          =>  'updated_at',
+                                                    'type'          =>  'timestamp',
+                                                    'format'        =>  'Y-m-d H:i:s',
+                                                    'disabled'      => false,
+                                                    'expression'    => false,
+                                                    'options'       =>  array()));
+
     /**
      * __construct
      *
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@ class Doctrine_Template_Timestampable extends Doctrine_Template
     {
         $this->_options = Doctrine_Lib::arrayDeepMerge($this->_options, $options);
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * setTableDefinition
      *