diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
index 5f1efd9..903e626 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ jobs:
           build-args: |
             BUILD_VERSION=${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}
             BUILD_COMMIT=${{ gitea.sha }}
+            BUILD_TIME=${{ gitea.event.head_commit.timestamp }}
           cache-from: type=registry,ref=${{ secrets.DOCKER_USER }}/libnovel-ui:latest
           cache-to: type=inline
 
diff --git a/ui/Dockerfile b/ui/Dockerfile
index 582885c..36e29a8 100644
--- a/ui/Dockerfile
+++ b/ui/Dockerfile
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ COPY . .
 # Build-time version info — injected by docker-compose or CI via --build-arg.
 ARG BUILD_VERSION=dev
 ARG BUILD_COMMIT=unknown
+ARG BUILD_TIME=unknown
 
 # Expose as PUBLIC_ env vars so SvelteKit's $env/dynamic/public can read them.
 ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_VERSION=$BUILD_VERSION
 ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_COMMIT=$BUILD_COMMIT
+ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_TIME=$BUILD_TIME
 
 RUN npm run build
 
@@ -40,5 +42,16 @@ ENV NODE_ENV=production
 ENV PORT=3000
 ENV HOST=0.0.0.0
 
+# Carry build-time metadata into the runtime image so the UI footer can
+# display the version, commit SHA, and build timestamp.
+# These must be re-declared after the second FROM — ARG values do not
+# cross stage boundaries, but ENV values set here persist at runtime.
+ARG BUILD_VERSION=dev
+ARG BUILD_COMMIT=unknown
+ARG BUILD_TIME=unknown
+ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_VERSION=$BUILD_VERSION
+ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_COMMIT=$BUILD_COMMIT
+ENV PUBLIC_BUILD_TIME=$BUILD_TIME
+
 EXPOSE $PORT
 CMD ["node", "build"]
diff --git a/ui/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/ui/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index c9a45c6..db4231e 100644
--- a/ui/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -433,7 +433,15 @@
 			<a href="/dmca" class="hover:text-zinc-500 transition-colors">DMCA</a>
 			<span>&copy; {new Date().getFullYear()} libnovel</span>
 		</div>
-		<!-- Build version / commit SHA -->
+		<!-- Build version / commit SHA / build time -->
+		{#snippet buildTime()}
+			{#if env.PUBLIC_BUILD_TIME && env.PUBLIC_BUILD_TIME !== 'unknown'}
+				{@const d = new Date(env.PUBLIC_BUILD_TIME)}
+				<span class="text-zinc-500" title="Build time">
+					· {d.toUTCString().replace(' GMT', ' UTC').replace(/:\d\d /, ' ')}
+				</span>
+			{/if}
+		{/snippet}
 		<div class="text-xs tabular-nums font-mono px-2 py-0.5 rounded bg-zinc-800 border border-zinc-700">
 			{#if env.PUBLIC_BUILD_VERSION && env.PUBLIC_BUILD_VERSION !== 'dev'}
 				<span class="text-zinc-300" title="Build version">{env.PUBLIC_BUILD_VERSION}</span>
@@ -442,6 +450,7 @@
 						>+{env.PUBLIC_BUILD_COMMIT.slice(0, 7)}</span
 					>
 				{/if}
+				{@render buildTime()}
 			{:else}
 				<span class="text-zinc-400">dev</span>
 			{/if}