diff --git a/internal/federation/dereferencing/status.go b/internal/federation/dereferencing/status.go
index 066a65dea..f8eeb81f1 100644
--- a/internal/federation/dereferencing/status.go
+++ b/internal/federation/dereferencing/status.go
@@ -926,6 +926,15 @@ func (d *Dereferencer) updateStatus(
 	// any other changes in status content itself.
 	if pollChanged || statusChanged(existing, status) {
 
+		// We prefer to use provided 'upated_at', but ensure
+		// it fits chronologically with creation / last update.
+		if !status.UpdatedAt.After(status.CreatedAt) ||
+			!status.UpdatedAt.After(existing.UpdatedAt) {
+
+			// Else fallback to now as update time.
+			status.UpdatedAt = status.FetchedAt
+		}
+
 		// Status has been editted since last
 		// we saw it, take snapshot of existing.
 		var edit gtsmodel.StatusEdit
@@ -1009,7 +1018,7 @@ func (d *Dereferencer) updateStatusPoll(
 		// insert latest poll version into database.
 		return true, d.insertStatusPoll(ctx, status)
 
-	case pollUpdated(existing.Poll, status.Poll):
+	case pollStateUpdated(existing.Poll, status.Poll):
 		// Since we last saw it, the poll has updated!
 		// Whether that be stats, or close time.
 		poll := existing.Poll
diff --git a/internal/federation/dereferencing/util.go b/internal/federation/dereferencing/util.go
index 4c337c981..40dfb2fde 100644
--- a/internal/federation/dereferencing/util.go
+++ b/internal/federation/dereferencing/util.go
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ func pollChanged(existing, latest *gtsmodel.Poll) bool {
 		!existing.ExpiresAt.Equal(latest.ExpiresAt)
 }
 
-// pollUpdated returns whether a poll has updated, i.e. if the
+// pollStateUpdated returns whether a poll has updated, i.e. if
 // vote counts have changed, or if it has expired / been closed.
-func pollUpdated(existing, latest *gtsmodel.Poll) bool {
+func pollStateUpdated(existing, latest *gtsmodel.Poll) bool {
 	return *existing.Voters != *latest.Voters ||
 		!slices.Equal(existing.Votes, latest.Votes) ||
 		!existing.ClosedAt.Equal(latest.ClosedAt)
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ func pollJustClosed(existing, latest *gtsmodel.Poll) bool {
 // statusChanged returns whether a status has changed in a way that
 // indicates that existing should be snapshotted for version history.
 func statusChanged(existing, latest *gtsmodel.Status) bool {
-	return !existing.UpdatedAt.Equal(latest.UpdatedAt) ||
-		existing.Content != latest.Content ||
+	return existing.Content != latest.Content ||
 		existing.ContentWarning != latest.ContentWarning ||
 		!slices.Equal(existing.AttachmentIDs, latest.AttachmentIDs)
 }