diff --git a/tools/default_image.c b/tools/default_image.c
index 3ed7014..6e4ae14 100644
--- a/tools/default_image.c
+++ b/tools/default_image.c
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@
 				struct image_tool_params *params)
 {
 	uint32_t checksum;
-	char *source_date_epoch;
 	time_t time;
 
 	image_header_t * hdr = (image_header_t *)ptr;
@@ -98,18 +97,7 @@
 				sizeof(image_header_t)),
 			sbuf->st_size - sizeof(image_header_t));
 
-	source_date_epoch = getenv("SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH");
-	if (source_date_epoch != NULL) {
-		time = (time_t) strtol(source_date_epoch, NULL, 10);
-
-		if (gmtime(&time) == NULL) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "%s: SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH is not valid\n",
-				__func__);
-			time = 0;
-		}
-	} else {
-		time = sbuf->st_mtime;
-	}
+	time = imagetool_get_source_date(params, sbuf->st_mtime);
 
 	/* Build new header */
 	image_set_magic(hdr, IH_MAGIC);
diff --git a/tools/fit_image.c b/tools/fit_image.c
index 76a6de4..58aa8e2 100644
--- a/tools/fit_image.c
+++ b/tools/fit_image.c
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@
 	}
 
 	/* for first image creation, add a timestamp at offset 0 i.e., root  */
-	if (params->datafile)
-		ret = fit_set_timestamp(ptr, 0, sbuf.st_mtime);
+	if (params->datafile) {
+		time_t time = imagetool_get_source_date(params, sbuf.st_mtime);
+		ret = fit_set_timestamp(ptr, 0, time);
+	}
 
 	if (!ret) {
 		ret = fit_add_verification_data(params->keydir, dest_blob, ptr,
diff --git a/tools/imagetool.c b/tools/imagetool.c
index 08d191d..855a096 100644
--- a/tools/imagetool.c
+++ b/tools/imagetool.c
@@ -115,3 +115,23 @@
 
 	return sbuf.st_size;
 }
+
+time_t imagetool_get_source_date(
+	 struct image_tool_params *params,
+	 time_t fallback)
+{
+	char *source_date_epoch = getenv("SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH");
+
+	if (source_date_epoch == NULL)
+		return fallback;
+
+	time_t time = (time_t) strtol(source_date_epoch, NULL, 10);
+
+	if (gmtime(&time) == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH is not valid\n",
+			params->cmdname);
+		time = 0;
+	}
+
+	return time;
+}
diff --git a/tools/imagetool.h b/tools/imagetool.h
index 1f2161c..6c1a9d3 100644
--- a/tools/imagetool.h
+++ b/tools/imagetool.h
@@ -206,6 +206,22 @@
  */
 int imagetool_get_filesize(struct image_tool_params *params, const char *fname);
 
+/**
+ * imagetool_get_source_date() - Get timestamp for build output.
+ *
+ * Gets a timestamp for embedding it in a build output. If set
+ * SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH is used. Else the given fallback value is returned. Prints
+ * an error message if SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH contains an invalid value and returns
+ * 0.
+ *
+ * @params:	mkimage parameters
+ * @fallback:	timestamp to use if SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH isn't set
+ * @return timestamp based on SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH
+ */
+time_t imagetool_get_source_date(
+	struct image_tool_params *params,
+	time_t fallback);
+
 /*
  * There is a c file associated with supported image type low level code
  * for ex. default_image.c, fit_image.c