diff --git a/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/_dataframe.py b/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/_dataframe.py
index 6c3f605064..2aa8cd34d4 100644
--- a/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/_dataframe.py
+++ b/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/_dataframe.py
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ def create(
             plt_cfg.consolidate_and_vacuum = ops.consolidate_and_vacuum
 
         # TODO add as kw args
+        timestamp_ms = context._open_timestamp_ms(tiledb_timestamp)
         clib.SOMADataFrame.create(
             uri,
             schema,
@@ -276,6 +277,7 @@ def create(
             extents,
             context.native_context,
             plt_cfg,
+            (0, timestamp_ms)
         )
 
         handle = cls._wrapper_type.open(uri, "w", context, tiledb_timestamp)
diff --git a/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/soma_dataframe.cc b/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/soma_dataframe.cc
index 7b7b6895ab..f7f6823450 100644
--- a/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/soma_dataframe.cc
+++ b/apis/python/src/tiledbsoma/soma_dataframe.cc
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ void load_soma_dataframe(py::module& m) {
                py::object py_domains,
                py::object py_extents,
                std::shared_ptr<SOMAContext> context,
-               std::optional<PlatformConfig> platform_config) {
+               std::optional<PlatformConfig> platform_config,
+               std::optional<std::pair<uint64_t, uint64_t>> timestamp) {
                 ArrowSchema schema;
                 uintptr_t schema_ptr = (uintptr_t)(&schema);
                 py_schema.attr("_export_to_c")(schema_ptr);
@@ -96,7 +97,8 @@ void load_soma_dataframe(py::module& m) {
                             std::make_shared<ArrowArray>(domains),
                             std::make_shared<ArrowArray>(extents)),
                         context,
-                        platform_config);
+                        platform_config,
+                        timestamp);
                 } catch (const std::out_of_range& e) {
                     throw py::type_error(e.what());
                 } catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/apis/python/tests/test_collection.py b/apis/python/tests/test_collection.py
index 39a6918ff8..75c792aa9e 100644
--- a/apis/python/tests/test_collection.py
+++ b/apis/python/tests/test_collection.py
@@ -486,6 +486,7 @@ def test_issue919(tmp_path):
             expt.add_new_dataframe(
                 "df", schema=schema, index_column_names=["soma_joinid"]
             )
+            assert expt["df"].tiledb_timestamp_ms == 100
 
         with soma.Collection.open(uri, context=context) as c:
             assert "df" in c["expt"] and "causes_bug" in c["expt"]
@@ -518,4 +519,4 @@ def test_context_timestamp(tmp_path: pathlib.Path):
         assert coll.tiledb_timestamp_ms == 234
         sub_1 = coll["sub_1"]
         assert sub_1.tiledb_timestamp_ms == 234
-        assert sub_1["sub_sub"].tiledb_timestamp_ms == 234
+        assert sub_1["sub_sub"].tiledb_timestamp_ms == 234
\ No newline at end of file