diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index a9b68498b7..94a8241b72 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2619,6 +2619,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "arrow",
  "arrow_util",
  "bytes",
+ "chrono",
  "data_types",
  "datafusion 0.1.0",
  "datafusion_util",
diff --git a/generated_types/protos/influxdata/iox/catalog/v1/catalog.proto b/generated_types/protos/influxdata/iox/catalog/v1/catalog.proto
index d36a626ba4..a00f5a846c 100644
--- a/generated_types/protos/influxdata/iox/catalog/v1/catalog.proto
+++ b/generated_types/protos/influxdata/iox/catalog/v1/catalog.proto
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 syntax = "proto3";
 package influxdata.iox.catalog.v1;
 
+import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto";
+
 // Path for object store interaction.
 message Path {
     // Directory hierarchy.
@@ -69,4 +71,9 @@ message Transaction {
 
     // UUID of last commit.
     string previous_uuid = 5;
+
+    // Start timestamp.
+    //
+    // Timestamp of the start of the transaction.
+    google.protobuf.Timestamp start_timestamp = 6;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/parquet_file/Cargo.toml b/parquet_file/Cargo.toml
index b5eca7dba5..a9ed5f633e 100644
--- a/parquet_file/Cargo.toml
+++ b/parquet_file/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ edition = "2018"
 [dependencies] # In alphabetical order
 arrow = { version = "4.0", features = ["prettyprint"] }
 bytes = "1.0"
+chrono = "0.4"
 data_types = { path = "../data_types" }
 datafusion = { path = "../datafusion" }
 datafusion_util = { path = "../datafusion_util" }
diff --git a/parquet_file/src/catalog.rs b/parquet_file/src/catalog.rs
index 6b6a316d4c..ac030be46c 100644
--- a/parquet_file/src/catalog.rs
+++ b/parquet_file/src/catalog.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,16 @@ use std::{
         hash_map::Entry::{Occupied, Vacant},
         HashMap,
     },
+    convert::TryInto,
     fmt::{Debug, Display},
+    num::TryFromIntError,
     str::FromStr,
     sync::Arc,
 };
 
 use crate::metadata::{parquet_metadata_to_thrift, thrift_to_parquet_metadata};
 use bytes::Bytes;
+use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use data_types::server_id::ServerId;
 use futures::TryStreamExt;
 use generated_types::influxdata::iox::catalog::v1 as proto;
@@ -29,7 +32,7 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 /// Current version for serialized transactions.
 ///
 /// For breaking changes, this will change.
-pub const TRANSACTION_VERSION: u32 = 1;
+pub const TRANSACTION_VERSION: u32 = 2;
 
 /// File suffix for transaction files in object store.
 pub const TRANSACTION_FILE_SUFFIX: &str = "txn";
@@ -164,6 +167,12 @@ pub enum Error {
 
     #[snafu(display("Catalog already exists"))]
     AlreadyExists {},
+
+    #[snafu(display("Internal: Datetime required but missing in serialized catalog"))]
+    DateTimeRequired {},
+
+    #[snafu(display("Internal: Cannot parse datetime in serialized catalog: {}", source))]
+    DateTimeParseError { source: TryFromIntError },
 }
 
 pub type Result<T, E = Error> = std::result::Result<T, E>;
@@ -209,6 +218,35 @@ pub trait CatalogState {
     fn remove(&self, path: DirsAndFileName) -> Result<()>;
 }
 
+/// Find last transaction-start-timestamp.
+///
+/// This method is designed to read and verify as little as possible and should also work on most broken catalogs.
+pub async fn find_last_transaction_timestamp(
+    object_store: &ObjectStore,
+    server_id: ServerId,
+    db_name: &str,
+) -> Result<Option<DateTime<Utc>>> {
+    let mut res = None;
+    for (path, _revision_counter, _uuid) in
+        list_transaction_files(object_store, server_id, db_name).await?
+    {
+        match load_transaction_proto(object_store, &path).await {
+            Ok(proto) => match parse_timestamp(&proto.start_timestamp) {
+                Ok(ts) => {
+                    res = Some(res.map_or(ts, |res: DateTime<Utc>| res.max(ts)));
+                }
+                Err(e) => warn!(%e, ?path, "Cannot parse timestamp"),
+            },
+            Err(e @ Error::Read { .. }) => {
+                // bubble up IO error
+                return Err(e);
+            }
+            Err(e) => warn!(%e, ?path, "Cannot read transaction"),
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(res)
+}
+
 /// Inner mutable part of the preserved catalog.
 struct PreservedCatalogInner<S>
 where
@@ -645,6 +683,16 @@ fn unparse_dirs_and_filename(path: &DirsAndFileName) -> proto::Path {
     }
 }
 
+/// Parse timestamp from protobuf.
+fn parse_timestamp(
+    ts: &Option<generated_types::google::protobuf::Timestamp>,
+) -> Result<DateTime<Utc>> {
+    let ts: generated_types::google::protobuf::Timestamp =
+        ts.as_ref().context(DateTimeRequired)?.clone();
+    let ts: DateTime<Utc> = ts.try_into().context(DateTimeParseError)?;
+    Ok(ts)
+}
+
 /// Key to address transactions.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 struct TransactionKey {
@@ -686,6 +734,7 @@ where
                 uuid: uuid.to_string(),
                 revision_counter,
                 previous_uuid,
+                start_timestamp: Some(Utc::now().into()),
             },
         }
     }
@@ -818,6 +867,8 @@ where
             }
             .fail()?;
         }
+        // verify we can parse the timestamp (checking that no error is raised)
+        parse_timestamp(&proto.start_timestamp)?;
 
         // apply
         for action in &proto.actions {
@@ -1279,7 +1330,7 @@ mod tests {
         .await;
         assert_eq!(
             res.unwrap_err().to_string(),
-            "Format version of transaction file for revision 2 is 42 but only [1] are supported"
+            format!("Format version of transaction file for revision 2 is 42 but only [{}] are supported", TRANSACTION_VERSION)
         );
     }
 
@@ -1499,6 +1550,42 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_broken_protobuf() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        // break transaction file
+        assert!(trace.tkeys.len() >= 2);
+        let tkey = &trace.tkeys[0];
+        let path = transaction_path(&object_store, server_id, db_name, tkey);
+        let data = Bytes::from("foo");
+        let len = data.len();
+        object_store
+            .put(
+                &path,
+                futures::stream::once(async move { Ok(data) }),
+                Some(len),
+            )
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // loading catalog should fail now
+        let res = PreservedCatalog::<TestCatalogState>::load(
+            Arc::clone(&object_store),
+            server_id,
+            db_name.to_string(),
+            (),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(
+            res.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "Error during deserialization: failed to decode Protobuf message: invalid wire type value: 6"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_transaction_handle_debug() {
         let object_store = make_object_store();
@@ -1599,6 +1686,71 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_missing_start_timestamp() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        // break transaction file
+        assert!(trace.tkeys.len() >= 2);
+        let tkey = &trace.tkeys[0];
+        let path = transaction_path(&object_store, server_id, db_name, tkey);
+        let mut proto = load_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path).await.unwrap();
+        proto.start_timestamp = None;
+        store_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path, &proto)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // loading catalog should fail now
+        let res = PreservedCatalog::<TestCatalogState>::load(
+            Arc::clone(&object_store),
+            server_id,
+            db_name.to_string(),
+            (),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(
+            res.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "Internal: Datetime required but missing in serialized catalog"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_broken_start_timestamp() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        // break transaction file
+        assert!(trace.tkeys.len() >= 2);
+        let tkey = &trace.tkeys[0];
+        let path = transaction_path(&object_store, server_id, db_name, tkey);
+        let mut proto = load_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path).await.unwrap();
+        proto.start_timestamp = Some(generated_types::google::protobuf::Timestamp {
+            seconds: 0,
+            nanos: -1,
+        });
+        store_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path, &proto)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // loading catalog should fail now
+        let res = PreservedCatalog::<TestCatalogState>::load(
+            Arc::clone(&object_store),
+            server_id,
+            db_name.to_string(),
+            (),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(
+            res.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "Internal: Cannot parse datetime in serialized catalog: out of range integral type conversion attempted"
+        );
+    }
+
     /// Get sorted list of catalog files from state
     fn get_catalog_parquet_files(state: &TestCatalogState) -> Vec<(String, ParquetMetaData)> {
         let mut files: Vec<(String, ParquetMetaData)> = state
@@ -1676,6 +1828,7 @@ mod tests {
     struct TestTrace {
         tkeys: Vec<TransactionKey>,
         states: Vec<TestCatalogState>,
+        post_timestamps: Vec<DateTime<Utc>>,
     }
 
     impl TestTrace {
@@ -1683,6 +1836,7 @@ mod tests {
             Self {
                 tkeys: vec![],
                 states: vec![],
+                post_timestamps: vec![],
             }
         }
 
@@ -1690,6 +1844,7 @@ mod tests {
             self.tkeys
                 .push(catalog.inner.read().previous_tkey.clone().unwrap());
             self.states.push(catalog.state().deref().clone());
+            self.post_timestamps.push(Utc::now());
         }
     }
 
@@ -1996,6 +2151,135 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(t.uuid(), Uuid::nil());
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_find_last_transaction_timestamp_ok() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        let ts = find_last_transaction_timestamp(&object_store, server_id, db_name)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // last trace entry is an aborted transaction, so the valid transaction timestamp is the third last
+        let second_last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 3];
+        assert!(
+            ts > second_last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) > second last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            second_last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+
+        let last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 2];
+        assert!(
+            ts < last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) < last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_find_last_transaction_timestamp_empty() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+
+        assert!(
+            find_last_transaction_timestamp(&object_store, server_id, db_name)
+                .await
+                .unwrap()
+                .is_none()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_find_last_transaction_timestamp_datetime_broken() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        // break transaction file
+        assert!(trace.tkeys.len() >= 2);
+        let tkey = &trace.tkeys[0];
+        let path = transaction_path(&object_store, server_id, db_name, tkey);
+        let mut proto = load_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path).await.unwrap();
+        proto.start_timestamp = None;
+        store_transaction_proto(&object_store, &path, &proto)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let ts = find_last_transaction_timestamp(&object_store, server_id, db_name)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // last trace entry is an aborted transaction, so the valid transaction timestamp is the third last
+        let second_last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 3];
+        assert!(
+            ts > second_last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) > second last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            second_last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+
+        let last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 2];
+        assert!(
+            ts < last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) < last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_find_last_transaction_timestamp_protobuf_broken() {
+        let object_store = make_object_store();
+        let server_id = make_server_id();
+        let db_name = "db1";
+        let trace = assert_single_catalog_inmem_works(&object_store, server_id, db_name).await;
+
+        // break transaction file
+        assert!(trace.tkeys.len() >= 2);
+        let tkey = &trace.tkeys[0];
+        let path = transaction_path(&object_store, server_id, db_name, tkey);
+        let data = Bytes::from("foo");
+        let len = data.len();
+        object_store
+            .put(
+                &path,
+                futures::stream::once(async move { Ok(data) }),
+                Some(len),
+            )
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let ts = find_last_transaction_timestamp(&object_store, server_id, db_name)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // last trace entry is an aborted transaction, so the valid transaction timestamp is the third last
+        let second_last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 3];
+        assert!(
+            ts > second_last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) > second last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            second_last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+
+        let last_committed_end_ts = trace.post_timestamps[trace.post_timestamps.len() - 2];
+        assert!(
+            ts < last_committed_end_ts,
+            "failed: last start ts ({}) < last committed end ts ({})",
+            ts,
+            last_committed_end_ts
+        );
+    }
+
     async fn assert_catalog_roundtrip_works(
         object_store: &Arc<ObjectStore>,
         server_id: ServerId,