secret list gives each secret's own creation and last-update times (closes #142)

secret list and secret list --json gave the time of the listing as every
secret's creation and last-update time, because Secret.LoadMetadata set
both to the current time. It now reads file modification times, so
listing still needs no passphrase: the last update is when the secret's
current file was written, and the creation is when its oldest version's
value.age was written. A move to another vault gives the copied files
the times of the originals.

GetSecretObject no longer loads the times, so secret get keeps its error
for a missing current file; secret list calls LoadMetadata itself.

Judgement call: the creation time comes from value.age, not from the
oldest version's directory, whose time changes when the next add
rewrites that version's metadata.age.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@ Retrieves and outputs a secret value to stdout.
 
 Lists all secrets in the current vault. Optional filter for substring matching.
 
+The `LAST UPDATED` column, and `updated_at` in the `--json` output, give the
+time the secret's `current` file was last written: every command that adds a
+version replaces it, and so does `secret version promote`. `created_at` gives
+the time the `value.age` of the secret's oldest version was written. Both are
+the files' modification times, so listing asks for no passphrase. Moving a
+secret to another vault keeps both times.
+
 #### `secret remove <secret-name> [--force]` / `secret rm` ⚠️ 🛑
 
 **DANGER**: Permanently removes a secret and ALL its versions. It first asks for
@@ -181,7 +188,9 @@ period.
 #### `secret version promote <secret-name> <version>`
 
 Promotes a specific version to current by rewriting the secret's `current` file
-to name it. Does not modify any timestamps, allowing for rollback scenarios.
+to name it. The versions' own times are left unchanged, allowing for rollback
+scenarios; `secret list` then gives the time of the promote as the secret's last
+update.
 
 #### `secret version remove <secret-name> <version> [--force]` / `secret version rm` ⚠️ 🛑
 
@@ -197,7 +206,8 @@ for confirmation, naming the version, the secret and its vault (see
 
 #### `secret generate mnemonic`
 
-Generates a cryptographically secure BIP39 mnemonic phrase.
+Generates a cryptographically secure BIP39 mnemonic phrase and prints it to
+stdout. The warning to keep it safe goes to stderr.
 
 #### `secret generate secret <name> [--length=16] [--type=base58] [--force]`
 

TODO.md

@@ -18,6 +18,25 @@ https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/secret/milestone/12
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-14: `secret list` gives each secret's own creation and last-update
+  times (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/secret/issues/142). It gave the time of the
+  listing for both, which `Secret.LoadMetadata` set to the current time.
+  `LoadMetadata` now reads file modification times, so listing still needs no
+  passphrase: the last update is when the secret's `current` file was written,
+  and the creation is when its oldest version's `value.age` was written. That
+  version's directory would be wrong, because the next add rewrites the
+  version's `metadata.age` in it. `GetSecretObject`, which `secret get` also
+  uses, no longer loads the times; `secret list` loads them itself. A move to
+  another vault gives each copied `value.age` and `current` the modification
+  time of the file it was copied from, so the moved secret keeps its times.
+- 2026-10-14: `secret generate mnemonic`, `secret vault list` and
+  `secret unlocker list` print their output to stdout, as `secret list` does, so
+  it can be piped or captured (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/secret/issues/138).
+  They printed with cobra's `cmd.Println` and `cmd.Printf`, which write to
+  stderr when no output writer is set, so `secret vault list --json | jq`
+  received nothing. "No versions found" from `secret version list` moved to
+  stdout too. Messages such as "Created vault", and the warning after the
+  mnemonic, stay on stderr.
 - 2026-10-14: Removing the current unlocker no longer leaves the vault unable to
   open through the unlockers it still has
   (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/secret/issues/137). `current-unlocker` went on

internal/cli/generate.go

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (cli *Instance) GenerateMnemonic(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	}
 
 	// Output mnemonic to stdout
-	cmd.Println(mnemonic)
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), mnemonic)
 
 	// Output helpful information to stderr
 	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "")

internal/cli/list_times_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package cli_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/awnumar/memguard"
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/secret/internal/cli"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/secret/internal/secret"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/secret/internal/vault"
+)
+
+const (
+	// listClockStep is how long TestListShowsWhenSecretWasWritten waits
+	// between its steps, so that a time read in one step cannot be the
+	// time read in the next.
+	listClockStep = 200 * time.Millisecond
+
+	// fileTimeSlack allows for the clock the kernel stamps files with,
+	// which advances only every few milliseconds: a file's modification
+	// time can be slightly earlier than a time.Now() read before the file
+	// was written.
+	fileTimeSlack = 100 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
+// TestListShowsWhenSecretWasWritten is a regression test for
+// https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/secret/issues/142, where `secret list` gave
+// the time of the listing as every secret's creation and last-update time.
+// Two listings with a clock step between must be the same, and give the
+// time of the add; after a forced add, the creation time is unchanged and
+// the last update is the time of that add. It runs on a real filesystem,
+// where writing a file into a directory also changes the directory's time.
+func TestListShowsWhenSecretWasWritten(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	stateDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	vlt, err := vault.CreateVault(fs, stateDir, "default", testMnemonicBuffer(t), nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	vlt.Mnemonic = testMnemonicBuffer(t)
+	c := cli.NewCLIInstanceWithStateDir(fs, stateDir)
+
+	beforeAdd := time.Now()
+	err = vlt.AddSecret("x", memguard.NewBufferFromBytes([]byte("one")), false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	afterAdd := time.Now()
+
+	firstListing := listSecrets(t, c, true)
+
+	time.Sleep(listClockStep)
+	require.Equal(t, firstListing, listSecrets(t, c, true))
+
+	added := listedTimes(t, firstListing)
+	assert.WithinRange(t, added.CreatedAt, beforeAdd.Add(-fileTimeSlack), afterAdd)
+	assert.WithinRange(t, added.UpdatedAt, beforeAdd.Add(-fileTimeSlack), afterAdd)
+
+	time.Sleep(listClockStep)
+
+	beforeUpdate := time.Now()
+	err = vlt.AddSecret("x", memguard.NewBufferFromBytes([]byte("two")), true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	afterUpdate := time.Now()
+
+	updated := listedTimes(t, listSecrets(t, c, true))
+	assert.True(t, added.CreatedAt.Equal(updated.CreatedAt),
+		"created %s, then %s", added.CreatedAt, updated.CreatedAt)
+	assert.WithinRange(t, updated.UpdatedAt,
+		beforeUpdate.Add(-fileTimeSlack), afterUpdate)
+
+	// The table's LAST UPDATED column gives the same time, to the minute
+	assert.Contains(t, listSecrets(t, c, false),
+		updated.UpdatedAt.Format("2006-01-02 15:04"))
+}
+
+// TestMovedSecretKeepsItsTimes checks that a secret moved to another vault
+// is listed there with the times it was listed with before the move, and
+// not with the time of the move.
+func TestMovedSecretKeepsItsTimes(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	stateDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	_, err := vault.CreateVault(fs, stateDir, "other", testMnemonicBuffer(t), nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// "default" is created last, so it is the current vault
+	vlt, err := vault.CreateVault(fs, stateDir, "default", testMnemonicBuffer(t), nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	vlt.Mnemonic = testMnemonicBuffer(t)
+
+	// Two versions written apart, so that the creation and the last update
+	// are different times
+	err = vlt.AddSecret("x", memguard.NewBufferFromBytes([]byte("one")), false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	time.Sleep(listClockStep)
+
+	err = vlt.AddSecret("x", memguard.NewBufferFromBytes([]byte("two")), true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	c := cli.NewCLIInstanceWithStateDir(fs, stateDir)
+	c.Mnemonic = testMnemonicBuffer(t)
+	beforeMove := listedTimes(t, listSecrets(t, c, true))
+
+	time.Sleep(listClockStep)
+	require.NoError(t, c.MoveSecret(&cobra.Command{}, "default:x", "other", false))
+	require.NoError(t, vault.SelectVault(fs, stateDir, "other"))
+
+	afterMove := listedTimes(t, listSecrets(t, c, true))
+	assert.True(t, beforeMove.CreatedAt.Equal(afterMove.CreatedAt),
+		"created %s, then %s", beforeMove.CreatedAt, afterMove.CreatedAt)
+	assert.True(t, beforeMove.UpdatedAt.Equal(afterMove.UpdatedAt),
+		"updated %s, then %s", beforeMove.UpdatedAt, afterMove.UpdatedAt)
+}
+
+// listSecrets returns the output of `secret list`, or of
+// `secret list --json` when jsonOutput is set.
+func listSecrets(t *testing.T, c *cli.Instance, jsonOutput bool) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{}
+	cmd.SetOut(&out)
+	require.NoError(t, c.ListSecrets(cmd, jsonOutput, false, ""))
+
+	return out.String()
+}
+
+// listedTimes returns the times that the output of `secret list --json`
+// gives for the one secret in the vault.
+func listedTimes(t *testing.T, listing string) secret.Metadata {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var parsed struct {
+		Secrets []map[string]string `json:"secrets"`
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(listing), &parsed))
+	require.Len(t, parsed.Secrets, 1)
+
+	createdAt, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, parsed.Secrets[0]["created_at"])
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	updatedAt, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, parsed.Secrets[0]["updated_at"])
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	return secret.Metadata{CreatedAt: createdAt, UpdatedAt: updatedAt}
+}

internal/cli/secrets.go

@@ -541,8 +541,12 @@ func printSecretsJSON(
 			"name": secretName,
 		}
 
-		// Try to get metadata using GetSecretObject
+		// A secret whose times cannot be read is listed without them
 		secretObj, err := vlt.GetSecretObject(secretName)
+		if err == nil {
+			err = secretObj.LoadMetadata()
+		}
+
 		if err == nil {
 			metadata := secretObj.GetMetadata()
 			secretInfo["created_at"] = metadata.CreatedAt
@@ -618,6 +622,10 @@ func printSecretsTable(
 		lastUpdated := "unknown"
 
 		secretObj, err := vlt.GetSecretObject(secretName)
+		if err == nil {
+			err = secretObj.LoadMetadata()
+		}
+
 		if err == nil {
 			metadata := secretObj.GetMetadata()
 			lastUpdated = metadata.UpdatedAt.Format("2006-01-02 15:04")

internal/cli/stdout_stderr_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cli_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/secret/internal/bip39"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/secret/internal/secret"
 )
 
@@ -90,3 +92,66 @@ func TestGetCommandOutputsToStdout(t *testing.T) {
 	// Nothing should be in stderr
 	assert.Empty(t, stderr.String(), "stderr should be empty")
 }
+
+// TestMnemonicAndListingsOutputToStdout tests that 'secret generate
+// mnemonic', 'secret vault list' and 'secret unlocker list' print their
+// output to stdout, so that it can be piped
+func TestMnemonicAndListingsOutputToStdout(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	secretPath := secretBinaryPath(t)
+
+	// run runs the secret binary and returns what it wrote to stdout and to
+	// stderr
+	run := func(args ...string) (string, string) {
+		//nolint:gosec // G204: test executes the freshly built secret binary
+		cmd := exec.CommandContext(t.Context(), secretPath, args...)
+		cmd.Env = []string{
+			secret.EnvStateDir + "=" + tempDir,
+			secret.EnvMnemonic + "=" + testMnemonic,
+			secret.EnvUnlockPassphrase + "=test-passphrase",
+			"PATH=/usr/bin:/bin",
+		}
+
+		var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+
+		cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+		cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+
+		err := cmd.Run()
+		require.NoError(t, err, "%v should succeed: %s", args, stderr.String())
+
+		return stdout.String(), stderr.String()
+	}
+
+	stdout, stderr := run("generate", "mnemonic")
+	assert.True(t, bip39.IsMnemonicValid(strings.TrimSpace(stdout)),
+		"stdout should hold the mnemonic, not %q", stdout)
+	assert.Contains(t, stderr, "Save this mnemonic phrase securely",
+		"the warning should be on stderr")
+
+	run("init")
+
+	stdout, _ = run("vault", "list", "--json")
+
+	var vaults map[string]any
+
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(stdout), &vaults),
+		"stdout should hold the vaults as JSON, not %q", stdout)
+	assert.Equal(t, "default", vaults["currentVault"])
+
+	stdout, _ = run("unlocker", "list", "--json")
+
+	var unlockers map[string]any
+
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(stdout), &unlockers),
+		"stdout should hold the unlockers as JSON, not %q", stdout)
+	assert.Len(t, unlockers["unlockers"], 1)
+
+	stdout, _ = run("vault", "list")
+	assert.Contains(t, stdout, "default (current)")
+
+	stdout, _ = run("unlocker", "list")
+	assert.Contains(t, stdout, "Total: 1 unlocker(s)")
+}

internal/cli/unlockers.go

@@ -326,22 +326,25 @@ func (cli *Instance) printUnlockersJSON(
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal JSON: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	cli.cmd.Println(string(jsonBytes))
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cli.cmd.OutOrStdout(), string(jsonBytes))
 
 	return nil
 }
 
 // printUnlockersTable prints unlockers in a formatted table
 func (cli *Instance) printUnlockersTable(unlockers []UnlockerInfo) error {
+	out := cli.cmd.OutOrStdout()
+
 	if len(unlockers) == 0 {
-		cli.cmd.Println("No unlockers found in current vault.")
-		cli.cmd.Println("Run 'secret unlocker add passphrase' to create one.")
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(out, "No unlockers found in current vault.")
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(out, "Run 'secret unlocker add passphrase' to create one.")
 
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	cli.cmd.Printf("  %-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n", "UNLOCKER ID", "TYPE", "CREATED", "FLAGS")
-	cli.cmd.Printf("  %-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n",
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "  %-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n",
+		"UNLOCKER ID", "TYPE", "CREATED", "FLAGS")
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "  %-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n",
 		strings.Repeat("-", unlockerIDWidth), strings.Repeat("-", unlockerTypeWidth),
 		strings.Repeat("-", unlockerDateWidth), strings.Repeat("-", unlockerFlagsWidth))
 
@@ -356,7 +359,7 @@ func (cli *Instance) printUnlockersTable(unlockers []UnlockerInfo) error {
 			prefix = "* "
 		}
 
-		cli.cmd.Printf("%s%-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n",
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "%s%-40s %-12s %-20s %s\n",
 			prefix,
 			unlocker.ID,
 			unlocker.Type,
@@ -364,7 +367,7 @@ func (cli *Instance) printUnlockersTable(unlockers []UnlockerInfo) error {
 			flags)
 	}
 
-	cli.cmd.Printf("\nTotal: %d unlocker(s)\n", len(unlockers))
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "\nTotal: %d unlocker(s)\n", len(unlockers))
 
 	return nil
 }

internal/cli/vault.go

@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ func (cli *Instance) ListVaults(cmd *cobra.Command, jsonOutput bool) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	out := cmd.OutOrStdout()
+
 	if jsonOutput { //nolint:nestif // Separate JSON and text output formatting logic
 		// Get current vault name for context
 		currentVault := ""
@@ -205,13 +207,13 @@ func (cli *Instance) ListVaults(cmd *cobra.Command, jsonOutput bool) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		cmd.Println(string(jsonBytes))
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(out, string(jsonBytes))
 	} else {
 		// Text output
-		cmd.Println("Available vaults:")
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(out, "Available vaults:")
 
 		if len(vaults) == 0 {
-			cmd.Println("  (none)")
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(out, "  (none)")
 		} else {
 			// Try to get current vault for marking
 			currentVault := ""
@@ -223,9 +225,9 @@ func (cli *Instance) ListVaults(cmd *cobra.Command, jsonOutput bool) error {
 
 			for _, vaultName := range vaults {
 				if vaultName == currentVault {
-					cmd.Printf("  %s (current)\n", vaultName)
+					_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "  %s (current)\n", vaultName)
 				} else {
-					cmd.Printf("  %s\n", vaultName)
+					_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "  %s\n", vaultName)
 				}
 			}
 		}

internal/cli/version.go

@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ func VersionCommands(cli *Instance) *cobra.Command {
 		Use:   "promote <secret-name> <version>",
 		Short: "Promote a specific version to current",
 		Long: "Updates the current symlink to point to the specified " +
-			"version without modifying timestamps",
+			"version. The versions' own times are left unchanged; secret " +
+			"list then gives the time of the promote as the secret's last " +
+			"update.",
 		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(2), //nolint:mnd // secret-name and version args
 		ValidArgsFunction: func(
 			cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete string,
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ func (cli *Instance) ListVersions(cmd *cobra.Command, secretName string) error {
 	}
 
 	if len(versions) == 0 {
-		cmd.Println("No versions found")
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "No versions found")
 
 		return nil
 	}

internal/secret/secret.go

@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ package secret
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
 
 	"filippo.io/age"
 	"github.com/awnumar/memguard"
@@ -66,31 +67,53 @@ func NewSecret(vault VaultInterface, name string) *Secret {
 		Name:      name,
 		Directory: secretDir,
 		vault:     vault,
-		Metadata: Metadata{
-			CreatedAt: time.Now(),
-			UpdatedAt: time.Now(),
-		},
 	}
 }
 
-// LoadMetadata is deprecated - metadata is now per-version and encrypted
+// LoadMetadata sets the secret's times from the modification times of its
+// files, which can be read without unlocking the vault. UpdatedAt is when
+// the secret's current file was last written, by an add or a promote.
+// CreatedAt is when its oldest version's value.age was written. That file
+// is never rewritten; the version's directory is no use, as its time
+// changes when the next add rewrites the version's metadata.age.
 func (s *Secret) LoadMetadata() error {
-	Debug("LoadMetadata called but is deprecated in versioned model",
-		"secret_name", s.Name)
-	// For backward compatibility, we'll populate with basic info
-	now := time.Now()
+	fs := s.vault.GetFilesystem()
+
+	current, err := fs.Stat(filepath.Join(s.Directory, "current"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read when secret %s was updated: %w",
+			s.Name, err)
+	}
+
+	versions, err := ListVersions(fs, s.Directory)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(versions) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("secret %s has no versions: %w", s.Name, os.ErrNotExist)
+	}
+
+	// ListVersions lists the newest version first
+	oldest := versions[len(versions)-1]
+
+	value, err := fs.Stat(
+		filepath.Join(s.Directory, "versions", oldest, "value.age"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read when secret %s was created: %w",
+			s.Name, err)
+	}
+
 	s.Metadata = Metadata{
-		CreatedAt: now,
-		UpdatedAt: now,
+		CreatedAt: value.ModTime(),
+		UpdatedAt: current.ModTime(),
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-// GetMetadata returns the secret metadata (deprecated)
+// GetMetadata returns the times LoadMetadata read
 func (s *Secret) GetMetadata() Metadata {
-	Debug("GetMetadata called but is deprecated in versioned model", "secret_name", s.Name)
-
 	return s.Metadata
 }
 

internal/vault/secrets.go

@@ -427,7 +427,8 @@ func (v *Vault) UnlockVault() (*age.X25519Identity, error) {
 	return longTermIdentity, nil
 }
 
-// GetSecretObject retrieves a Secret object with metadata loaded from this vault
+// GetSecretObject retrieves a Secret object from this vault. Its times are
+// zero until its LoadMetadata reads them.
 func (v *Vault) GetSecretObject(name string) (*secret.Secret, error) {
 	err := ValidateSecretName(name)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -454,16 +455,7 @@ func (v *Vault) GetSecretObject(name string) (*secret.Secret, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("secret %s %w", name, ErrSecretNotFound)
 	}
 
-	// Create a Secret object
-	secretObj := secret.NewSecret(v, name)
-
-	// Load the metadata from disk
-	err = secretObj.LoadMetadata()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return secretObj, nil
+	return secret.NewSecret(v, name), nil
 }
 
 // CopySecretVersion copies a single version from source into destSecretDir
@@ -581,8 +573,8 @@ func (v *Vault) CopySecretAllVersions(
 	}
 
 	// Copy each version and the current pointer, then move the copy into place
-	err = v.copyVersions(srcVault, srcIdentity,
-		srcSecretName, destSecretName, destSecretDir, versions, currentVersion)
+	err = v.copyVersions(srcVault, srcIdentity, srcSecretName, srcSecretDir,
+		destSecretName, destSecretDir, versions, currentVersion)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -801,10 +793,13 @@ func (v *Vault) createAndSaveVersion(
 // pointer into a temporary directory, then moves that directory to
 // destSecretDir, replacing a secret already there. Nothing in this vault
 // changes until the copy is complete, so an interrupted copy leaves only a
-// temporary directory behind.
+// temporary directory behind. Each copied value.age and current file gets
+// the modification time of the file it was copied from, so `secret list`,
+// which reads a secret's times from them, lists the copy with the times of
+// the source.
 func (v *Vault) copyVersions(
 	srcVault *Vault, srcIdentity *age.X25519Identity,
-	srcSecretName, destSecretName, destSecretDir string,
+	srcSecretName, srcSecretDir, destSecretName, destSecretDir string,
 	versions []string, currentVersion string,
 ) error {
 	buildDir, err := secret.TempDirFor(v.fs, destSecretDir)
@@ -823,6 +818,14 @@ func (v *Vault) copyVersions(
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to copy version %s: %w", versionName, err)
 		}
+
+		valuePath := filepath.Join("versions", versionName, "value.age")
+
+		err = copyModTime(srcVault.fs, filepath.Join(srcSecretDir, valuePath),
+			v.fs, filepath.Join(buildDir, valuePath))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	err = secret.SetCurrentVersion(v.fs, buildDir, currentVersion)
@@ -830,6 +833,12 @@ func (v *Vault) copyVersions(
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set current version: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	err = copyModTime(srcVault.fs, filepath.Join(srcSecretDir, "current"),
+		v.fs, filepath.Join(buildDir, "current"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// With --force, the secret being replaced goes only now that its
 	// replacement is complete
 	exists, err := afero.DirExists(v.fs, destSecretDir)
@@ -854,6 +863,26 @@ func (v *Vault) copyVersions(
 	return nil
 }
 
+// copyModTime gives destPath in destFs the modification time of srcPath in
+// srcFs.
+func copyModTime(
+	srcFs afero.Fs, srcPath string, destFs afero.Fs, destPath string,
+) error {
+	info, err := srcFs.Stat(srcPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read modification time of %s: %w",
+			srcPath, err)
+	}
+
+	err = destFs.Chtimes(destPath, info.ModTime(), info.ModTime())
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set modification time of %s: %w",
+			destPath, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // checkCopyDestination refuses to copy over an existing secret unless force
 // is set. A secret being replaced is removed by copyVersions, once its
 // replacement is complete.