diff --git a/migrations/20210430230901-apps-alter-ts-update.js b/migrations/20210430230901-apps-alter-ts-update.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1d537ce9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20210430230901-apps-alter-ts-update.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+'use strict';
+
+exports.up = function(db, callback) {
+    db.runSql('ALTER TABLE apps MODIFY ts TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP', [], function (error) {
+        if (error) console.error(error);
+        callback(error);
+    });
+};
+
+exports.down = function(db, callback) {
+    db.runSql('ALTER TABLE apps MODIFY ts TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP', [], function (error) {
+        if (error) console.error(error);
+        callback(error);
+    });
+};
diff --git a/src/appdb.js b/src/appdb.js
index 7736c915f..0ca9057fb 100644
--- a/src/appdb.js
+++ b/src/appdb.js
@@ -367,6 +367,9 @@ function clear(callback) {
 }
 
 function update(id, app, callback) {
+    // ts is useful as a versioning mechanism (for example, icon changed). update the timestamp explicity in code instead of db.
+    // this way health and healthTime can be updated without changing ts
+    app.ts = new Date();
     updateWithConstraints(id, app, '', callback);
 }
 
@@ -457,7 +460,7 @@ function updateWithConstraints(id, app, constraints, callback) {
 function setHealth(appId, health, healthTime, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof appId, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof health, 'string');
-    assert(util.isDate(healthTime));
+    assert(util.types.isDate(healthTime));
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
     var values = { health, healthTime };