diff --git a/components/CAN/CAN.cpp b/components/CAN/CAN.cpp
index cb8c57c..d54f666 100644
--- a/components/CAN/CAN.cpp
+++ b/components/CAN/CAN.cpp
@@ -4,9 +4,21 @@
 #include "CAN_Config.hpp"
 #include "can_helpers.hpp"
 #include "Logger.h"
+#include "IO.h"
+#include <ctime>
 
 
 static const char *TAG = "CAN"; // Used for ESP_LOGx commands. See ESP-IDF Documentation
+
+// Helper function to get real-time timestamp in milliseconds
+static int64_t get_real_timestamp() {
+    tm time_struct;
+    if (IO::Get()->rtc_handle->getTime(time_struct) == ESP_OK) {
+        time_t epoch = mktime(&time_struct);
+        return (int64_t)epoch * 1000LL;
+    }
+    return 0; // fallback to relative time will be handled by Logger
+}
 static SemaphoreHandle_t rx_sem = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
 static TimerHandle_t timerHandle;
 static twai_message_t tx_message = {
@@ -165,6 +177,7 @@ void CAN::rx_task()
                     Logger::LogMessage_t log_message;
                     sprintf(log_message.label, "CAN");
                     sprintf(log_message.message, "%s", log_string);
+                    log_message.timestamp = get_real_timestamp();
                     Logger::log(log_message);
                 }
                 if (CAN_Rx_IDs.find(rx_msg.identifier) != CAN_Rx_IDs.end())
@@ -220,6 +233,7 @@ void CAN::tx_CallBack()
             Logger::LogMessage_t log_message;
             sprintf(log_message.label, "CAN");
             sprintf(log_message.message, "%s", log_string);
+            log_message.timestamp = get_real_timestamp();
             Logger::log(log_message);
         }
         if (twai_transmit(&tx_message, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000)) != ESP_OK)
@@ -250,6 +264,7 @@ void CAN::tx_CallBack()
                 Logger::LogMessage_t log_message;
                 sprintf(log_message.label, "CAN");
                 sprintf(log_message.message, "%s", log_string);
+                log_message.timestamp = get_real_timestamp();
                 Logger::log(log_message);
             }
             if (twai_transmit(&tx_message, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000)) != ESP_OK)
@@ -282,6 +297,7 @@ void CAN::tx_CallBack()
                 Logger::LogMessage_t log_message;
                 sprintf(log_message.label, "CAN");
                 sprintf(log_message.message, "%s", log_string);
+                log_message.timestamp = get_real_timestamp();
                 Logger::log(log_message);
             }
             if (twai_transmit(&tx_message, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000)) != ESP_OK)
diff --git a/components/IO/Logger.cpp b/components/IO/Logger.cpp
index e70a439..9561a49 100644
--- a/components/IO/Logger.cpp
+++ b/components/IO/Logger.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ void Logger::writeLine(LogMessage_t message)
 
 void Logger::log(LogMessage_t message)
 {
-    message.timestamp = esp_timer_get_time()/1000;
+    // Only use relative time if timestamp is not set (0)
+    if (message.timestamp == 0) {
+        message.timestamp = esp_timer_get_time()/1000;
+    }
     if (logQueue != NULL)
     {
         if (xQueueSendToBack(logQueue, &message, 0) != pdTRUE)