diff --git a/beater/handlers.go b/beater/handlers.go
index 6e0cbde7549..ffdcfc8345d 100644
--- a/beater/handlers.go
+++ b/beater/handlers.go
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ func frontendHandler(pf ProcessorFactory, beaterConfig *Config, report reporter)
 		SmapMapper:          smapper,
 		LibraryPattern:      regexp.MustCompile(beaterConfig.Frontend.LibraryPattern),
 		ExcludeFromGrouping: regexp.MustCompile(beaterConfig.Frontend.ExcludeFromGrouping),
+		IsFrontend:          true,
 	}
 	return logHandler(
 		killSwitchHandler(beaterConfig.Frontend.isEnabled(),
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 8403283b99a..27b87d15842 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -10,4 +10,5 @@ type Config struct {
 	LibraryPattern      *regexp.Regexp
 	ExcludeFromGrouping *regexp.Regexp
 	SmapMapper          sourcemap.Mapper
+	IsFrontend          bool
 }
diff --git a/processor/error/payload.go b/processor/error/payload.go
index e15d0d8ab98..845523b147c 100644
--- a/processor/error/payload.go
+++ b/processor/error/payload.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package error
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/elastic/apm-server/config"
 	m "github.com/elastic/apm-server/model"
 	"github.com/elastic/apm-server/utility"
@@ -62,6 +64,14 @@ func (pa *payload) transform(config config.Config) []beat.Event {
 
 	var events []beat.Event
 	for _, event := range pa.Events {
+
+		var timestamp time.Time
+		if config.IsFrontend {
+			timestamp = time.Now()
+		} else {
+			timestamp = event.Timestamp
+		}
+
 		context := context.Transform(event.Context)
 		ev := beat.Event{
 			Fields: common.MapStr{
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ func (pa *payload) transform(config config.Config) []beat.Event {
 				errorDocType: event.Transform(config, pa.Service),
 				"context":    context,
 			},
-			Timestamp: event.Timestamp,
+			Timestamp: timestamp,
 		}
 		if event.Transaction != nil {
 			ev.Fields["transaction"] = common.MapStr{"id": event.Transaction.Id}
diff --git a/processor/error/payload_test.go b/processor/error/payload_test.go
index 1626a959448..de61b6efa5b 100644
--- a/processor/error/payload_test.go
+++ b/processor/error/payload_test.go
@@ -175,3 +175,17 @@ func TestPayloadTransform(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestOverrideFrontendTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	timestamp := time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -1)
+
+	p := payload{
+		Service: m.Service{Name: "myservice"},
+		Events:  []Event{{Timestamp: timestamp}},
+	}
+
+	frontendEvents := p.transform(config.Config{IsFrontend: true})
+	for _, event := range frontendEvents {
+		assert.InDelta(t, time.Now().Unix(), event.Timestamp.Unix(), time.Millisecond.Seconds()*10)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/processor/transaction/payload.go b/processor/transaction/payload.go
index 728d6df9674..ea373a71ecb 100644
--- a/processor/transaction/payload.go
+++ b/processor/transaction/payload.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package transaction
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/elastic/apm-server/config"
 	m "github.com/elastic/apm-server/model"
 	"github.com/elastic/apm-server/utility"
@@ -65,13 +67,21 @@ func (pa *payload) transform(config config.Config) []beat.Event {
 
 	var events []beat.Event
 	for _, event := range pa.Events {
+
+		var timestamp time.Time
+		if config.IsFrontend {
+			timestamp = time.Now()
+		} else {
+			timestamp = event.Timestamp
+		}
+
 		ev := beat.Event{
 			Fields: common.MapStr{
 				"processor":        processorTransEntry,
 				transactionDocType: event.Transform(),
 				"context":          context.Transform(event.Context),
 			},
-			Timestamp: event.Timestamp,
+			Timestamp: timestamp,
 		}
 		events = append(events, ev)
 
@@ -85,7 +95,7 @@ func (pa *payload) transform(config config.Config) []beat.Event {
 					"transaction": trId,
 					"context":     spanContext.Transform(sp.Context),
 				},
-				Timestamp: event.Timestamp,
+				Timestamp: timestamp,
 			}
 			events = append(events, ev)
 		}
diff --git a/processor/transaction/payload_test.go b/processor/transaction/payload_test.go
index af688ebaca1..c7dc9ac40eb 100644
--- a/processor/transaction/payload_test.go
+++ b/processor/transaction/payload_test.go
@@ -239,3 +239,17 @@ func TestPayloadTransform(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestOverrideFrontendTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	timestamp := time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -1)
+
+	p := payload{
+		Service: m.Service{Name: "myservice"},
+		Events:  []Event{{Timestamp: timestamp, Spans: []*Span{{}}}},
+	}
+
+	frontendEvents := p.transform(config.Config{IsFrontend: true})
+	for _, event := range frontendEvents {
+		assert.InDelta(t, time.Now().Unix(), event.Timestamp.Unix(), time.Millisecond.Seconds()*10)
+	}
+}