diff --git a/models/issues/comment.go b/models/issues/comment.go
index e781931261..643956670d 100644
--- a/models/issues/comment.go
+++ b/models/issues/comment.go
@@ -823,6 +823,11 @@ func CreateComment(ctx context.Context, opts *CreateCommentOptions) (_ *Comment,
 		IsForcePush:      opts.IsForcePush,
 		Invalidated:      opts.Invalidated,
 	}
+	if opts.Issue.NoAutoTime {
+		comment.CreatedUnix = opts.Issue.UpdatedUnix
+		comment.UpdatedUnix = opts.Issue.UpdatedUnix
+		e.NoAutoTime()
+	}
 	if _, err = e.Insert(comment); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/models/issues/issue.go b/models/issues/issue.go
index f000f4c660..acd6eb15f9 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue.go
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ type Issue struct {
 	CreatedUnix timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"INDEX created"`
 	UpdatedUnix timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"INDEX updated"`
 	ClosedUnix  timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	NoAutoTime  bool               `xorm:"-"`
 
 	Attachments      []*repo_model.Attachment `xorm:"-"`
 	Comments         CommentList              `xorm:"-"`
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_update.go b/models/issues/issue_update.go
index 9607b21a67..a9a79d3b19 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_update.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_update.go
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ import (
 
 // UpdateIssueCols updates cols of issue
 func UpdateIssueCols(ctx context.Context, issue *Issue, cols ...string) error {
-	if _, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(issue.ID).Cols(cols...).Update(issue); err != nil {
+	sess := db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(issue.ID)
+	if issue.NoAutoTime {
+		cols = append(cols, []string{"updated_unix"}...)
+		sess.NoAutoTime()
+	}
+	if _, err := sess.Cols(cols...).Update(issue); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -71,7 +76,11 @@ func doChangeIssueStatus(ctx context.Context, issue *Issue, doer *user_model.Use
 	}
 
 	if issue.IsClosed {
-		issue.ClosedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
+		if issue.NoAutoTime {
+			issue.ClosedUnix = issue.UpdatedUnix
+		} else {
+			issue.ClosedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
+		}
 	} else {
 		issue.ClosedUnix = 0
 	}
@@ -92,8 +101,14 @@ func doChangeIssueStatus(ctx context.Context, issue *Issue, doer *user_model.Use
 
 	// Update issue count of milestone
 	if issue.MilestoneID > 0 {
-		if err := UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, issue.MilestoneID); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		if issue.NoAutoTime {
+			if err := UpdateMilestoneCountersWithDate(ctx, issue.MilestoneID, issue.UpdatedUnix); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		} else {
+			if err := UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, issue.MilestoneID); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -449,10 +464,13 @@ func UpdateIssueByAPI(issue *Issue, doer *user_model.User) (statusChangeComment
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
 
-	if _, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(issue.ID).Cols(
-		"name", "content", "milestone_id", "priority",
-		"deadline_unix", "updated_unix", "is_locked").
-		Update(issue); err != nil {
+	sess := db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(issue.ID)
+	cols := []string{"name", "content", "milestone_id", "priority", "deadline_unix", "is_locked"}
+	if issue.NoAutoTime {
+		cols = append(cols, "updated_unix")
+		sess.NoAutoTime()
+	}
+	if _, err := sess.Cols(cols...).Update(issue); err != nil {
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
 
@@ -498,7 +516,7 @@ func UpdateIssueDeadline(issue *Issue, deadlineUnix timeutil.TimeStamp, doer *us
 	defer committer.Close()
 
 	// Update the deadline
-	if err = UpdateIssueCols(ctx, &Issue{ID: issue.ID, DeadlineUnix: deadlineUnix}, "deadline_unix"); err != nil {
+	if err = UpdateIssueCols(ctx, &Issue{ID: issue.ID, DeadlineUnix: deadlineUnix, NoAutoTime: issue.NoAutoTime, UpdatedUnix: issue.UpdatedUnix}, "deadline_unix"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_xref.go b/models/issues/issue_xref.go
index a1086f9e81..d580c75fb8 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_xref.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_xref.go
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ func (issue *Issue) createCrossReferences(stdCtx context.Context, ctx *crossRefe
 		if ctx.OrigComment != nil {
 			refCommentID = ctx.OrigComment.ID
 		}
+		if ctx.OrigIssue.NoAutoTime {
+			xref.Issue.NoAutoTime = true
+			xref.Issue.UpdatedUnix = ctx.OrigIssue.UpdatedUnix
+		}
 		opts := &CreateCommentOptions{
 			Type:         ctx.Type,
 			Doer:         ctx.Doer,
diff --git a/models/issues/milestone.go b/models/issues/milestone.go
index 1418e0869d..9d30a0f871 100644
--- a/models/issues/milestone.go
+++ b/models/issues/milestone.go
@@ -188,10 +188,9 @@ func updateMilestone(ctx context.Context, m *Milestone) error {
 	return UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, m.ID)
 }
 
-// UpdateMilestoneCounters calculates NumIssues, NumClosesIssues and Completeness
-func UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx context.Context, id int64) error {
+func updateMilestoneCounters(ctx context.Context, id int64, noAutoTime bool, updatedUnix timeutil.TimeStamp) error {
 	e := db.GetEngine(ctx)
-	_, err := e.ID(id).
+	sess := e.ID(id).
 		SetExpr("num_issues", builder.Select("count(*)").From("issue").Where(
 			builder.Eq{"milestone_id": id},
 		)).
@@ -200,8 +199,11 @@ func UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx context.Context, id int64) error {
 				"milestone_id": id,
 				"is_closed":    true,
 			},
-		)).
-		Update(&Milestone{})
+		))
+	if noAutoTime {
+		sess.SetExpr("updated_unix", updatedUnix).NoAutoTime()
+	}
+	_, err := sess.Update(&Milestone{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -211,6 +213,16 @@ func UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx context.Context, id int64) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// UpdateMilestoneCounters calculates NumIssues, NumClosesIssues and Completeness
+func UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx context.Context, id int64) error {
+	return updateMilestoneCounters(ctx, id, false, 0)
+}
+
+// UpdateMilestoneCountersWithDate calculates NumIssues, NumClosesIssues and Completeness and set the UpdatedUnix date
+func UpdateMilestoneCountersWithDate(ctx context.Context, id int64, updatedUnix timeutil.TimeStamp) error {
+	return updateMilestoneCounters(ctx, id, true, updatedUnix)
+}
+
 // ChangeMilestoneStatusByRepoIDAndID changes a milestone open/closed status if the milestone ID is in the repo.
 func ChangeMilestoneStatusByRepoIDAndID(repoID, milestoneID int64, isClosed bool) error {
 	ctx, committer, err := db.TxContext(db.DefaultContext)
diff --git a/modules/structs/issue.go b/modules/structs/issue.go
index 1aec5cc6b8..552496e652 100644
--- a/modules/structs/issue.go
+++ b/modules/structs/issue.go
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ type EditIssueOption struct {
 	// swagger:strfmt date-time
 	Deadline       *time.Time `json:"due_date"`
 	RemoveDeadline *bool      `json:"unset_due_date"`
+	// swagger:strfmt date-time
+	Updated *time.Time `json:"updated_at"`
 }
 
 // EditDeadlineOption options for creating a deadline
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/issue.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/issue.go
index a08fdf5940..bd756a3f11 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/issue.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/issue.go
@@ -774,6 +774,33 @@ func EditIssue(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// In order to be set a specific update time, the DB will be updated
+	// with NoAutoTime. The 'noAutoTime' bool will be propagated down to the
+	// DB update calls to apply autoupdate or not.
+	issue.NoAutoTime = false
+	if form.Updated != nil {
+		// Check if the poster is allowed to set an update date
+		perm, err := access_model.GetUserRepoPermission(ctx, issue.Repo, ctx.Doer)
+		if err != nil {
+			ctx.Status(http.StatusForbidden)
+			return
+		}
+		if !perm.IsAdmin() && !perm.IsOwner() {
+			ctx.Error(http.StatusUnauthorized, "EditIssue", "user needs to have admin or owner right")
+			return
+		}
+
+		// A simple guard against potential inconsistent calls
+		updatedUnix := timeutil.TimeStamp(form.Updated.Unix())
+		if updatedUnix < issue.CreatedUnix || updatedUnix > timeutil.TimeStampNow() {
+			ctx.Error(http.StatusForbidden, "EditIssue", "unallowed update date")
+			return
+		}
+
+		issue.UpdatedUnix = updatedUnix
+		issue.NoAutoTime = true
+	}
+
 	oldTitle := issue.Title
 	if len(form.Title) > 0 {
 		issue.Title = form.Title
diff --git a/services/issue/milestone.go b/services/issue/milestone.go
index a9be8bd887..6de3ce2d8b 100644
--- a/services/issue/milestone.go
+++ b/services/issue/milestone.go
@@ -30,14 +30,26 @@ func changeMilestoneAssign(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, issue *is
 	}
 
 	if oldMilestoneID > 0 {
-		if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, oldMilestoneID); err != nil {
-			return err
+		if issue.NoAutoTime {
+			if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCountersWithDate(ctx, oldMilestoneID, issue.UpdatedUnix); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		} else {
+			if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, oldMilestoneID); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	if issue.MilestoneID > 0 {
-		if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, issue.MilestoneID); err != nil {
-			return err
+		if issue.NoAutoTime {
+			if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCountersWithDate(ctx, issue.MilestoneID, issue.UpdatedUnix); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		} else {
+			if err := issues_model.UpdateMilestoneCounters(ctx, issue.MilestoneID); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index 5e75f6f8b4..f60efa5172 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -18086,6 +18086,11 @@
         "unset_due_date": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "x-go-name": "RemoveDeadline"
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "date-time",
+          "x-go-name": "Updated"
         }
       },
       "x-go-package": "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"