diff --git a/internal/storage/storage.go b/internal/storage/storage.go
index ddeb729..534414d 100644
--- a/internal/storage/storage.go
+++ b/internal/storage/storage.go
@@ -583,11 +583,15 @@ func (s *Store) insertMeta(ctx context.Context, id string, pm *mailparser.Parsed
 		msgID = &pm.MessageID
 	}
 
+	receivedAt := pm.Date
+	if receivedAt.IsZero() {
+		receivedAt = time.Now()
+	}
 	_, err := s.db.Exec(ctx, `
 		INSERT INTO emails (id, received_at, mail_from, mail_to, subject, size_bytes, has_attach, tenant_id, message_id)
 		VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9)
 		ON CONFLICT (id) DO NOTHING
-	`, id, pm.Date, pm.From, mailTo, pm.Subject, int64(size), hasAttach, tenantID, msgID)
+	`, id, receivedAt, pm.From, mailTo, pm.Subject, int64(size), hasAttach, tenantID, msgID)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -615,6 +619,10 @@ func (s *Store) SaveMeta(ctx context.Context, id string, pm *mailparser.ParsedMa
 		msgID = &pm.MessageID
 	}
 
+	metaDate := pm.Date
+	if metaDate.IsZero() {
+		metaDate = time.Now()
+	}
 	_, err := s.db.Exec(ctx, `
 		INSERT INTO emails (id, received_at, mail_from, mail_to, subject, size_bytes, has_attach, message_id)
 		VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8)
@@ -625,7 +633,7 @@ func (s *Store) SaveMeta(ctx context.Context, id string, pm *mailparser.ParsedMa
 			size_bytes = EXCLUDED.size_bytes,
 			has_attach = EXCLUDED.has_attach,
 			message_id = COALESCE(emails.message_id, EXCLUDED.message_id)
-	`, id, pm.Date, pm.From, mailTo, pm.Subject, int64(size), hasAttach, msgID)
+	`, id, metaDate, pm.From, mailTo, pm.Subject, int64(size), hasAttach, msgID)
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/mailparser/parser.go b/pkg/mailparser/parser.go
index 9fb5e65..2f5e5f9 100644
--- a/pkg/mailparser/parser.go
+++ b/pkg/mailparser/parser.go
@@ -81,11 +81,38 @@ func Parse(raw []byte) (*ParsedMail, error) {
 	msgID := msg.Header.Get("Message-Id")
 	pm.MessageID = strings.Trim(msgID, "<>")
 
-	// Date
+	// Date — try go-message parser first, then fallback formats, then zero
 	if d, err := msg.Header.Date(); err == nil {
 		pm.Date = d
 	} else {
-		pm.Date = time.Now()
+		// Some MUAs emit non-standard variants (e.g. "+0100 (CET)" suffix).
+		// Try common RFC 2822 / non-standard formats before giving up.
+		raw := strings.TrimSpace(msg.Header.Get("Date"))
+		// Strip parenthesised timezone comment: "... +0100 (CET)" → "... +0100"
+		if idx := strings.LastIndex(raw, "("); idx > 0 {
+			raw = strings.TrimSpace(raw[:idx])
+		}
+		parsed := false
+		for _, layout := range []string{
+			"Mon, 2 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700",
+			"Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700",
+			"2 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700",
+			"02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700",
+			"Mon, 2 Jan 2006 15:04:05 MST",
+			"Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 MST",
+			time.RFC1123Z,
+			time.RFC1123,
+		} {
+			if t, err := time.Parse(layout, raw); err == nil {
+				pm.Date = t
+				parsed = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !parsed {
+			// Leave pm.Date as zero — storage will use DB DEFAULT NOW()
+			pm.Date = time.Time{}
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Parse body / MIME parts