diff --git a/src/create.c b/src/create.c
index 4f623ac1..0d208d79 100644
--- a/src/create.c
+++ b/src/create.c
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ start_header (struct tar_stat_info *st)
   }
 
   {
-    struct timespec mtime = st->mtime;
+    struct timespec mtime = set_mtime_option ? mtime_option : st->mtime;
     if (archive_format == POSIX_FORMAT)
       {
 	if (MAX_OCTAL_VAL (header->header.mtime) < mtime.tv_sec