diff --git a/lib/galaxy/app.py b/lib/galaxy/app.py
index d4621fe26ae..f6cc5f919b9 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/app.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/app.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import sys
 import os
 
+import time
 from galaxy import config, jobs
 import galaxy.model
 import galaxy.security
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ class UniverseApplication( object, config.ConfiguresGalaxyMixin ):
         self.workflow_scheduling_manager = scheduling_manager.WorkflowSchedulingManager( self )
 
         self.model.engine.dispose()
+        self.server_starttime = int(time.time())  # used for cachebusting
 
     def setup_control_queue(self):
         self.control_worker = GalaxyQueueWorker(self, galaxy.queues.control_queue_from_config(self.config),
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/buildapp.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/buildapp.py
index 8a4baa1af69..d7492408b52 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/buildapp.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/buildapp.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ Provides factory methods to assemble the Galaxy web application
 """
 
 import atexit
-import time
 import os
 import os.path
 import sys
@@ -115,8 +114,6 @@ def app_factory( global_conf, **kwargs ):
     except:
         pass
 
-    app.server_starttime = int(time.time())  # used for cachebusting
-
     if not app.config.is_uwsgi:
         postfork_setup()