diff --git a/evennia/server/server.py b/evennia/server/server.py
index 90c46766ef..880e9a1843 100644
--- a/evennia/server/server.py
+++ b/evennia/server/server.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ _IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE = settings.IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE
 _GAMETIME_MODULE = None
 
 _IDLE_TIMEOUT = settings.IDLE_TIMEOUT
-_LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT = None
+_LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT = 0
 
 
 def _server_maintenance():
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ def _server_maintenance():
         # first call after a reload
         _GAMETIME_MODULE.SERVER_START_TIME = now
         _GAMETIME_MODULE.SERVER_RUNTIME = ServerConfig.objects.conf("runtime", default=0.0)
+        _LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT = now
     else:
         # adjust the runtime not with 60s but with the actual elapsed time
         # in case this may varies slightly from 60s.
diff --git a/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py b/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
index 076a03a879..33a9341cae 100644
--- a/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             connection=DEFAULT,
             _IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE=1000,
             _MAINTENANCE_COUNT=3600 - 1,
+            _LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT=0,
             ServerConfig=DEFAULT,
         ) as mocks:
             mocks["connection"].close = MagicMock()
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             connection=DEFAULT,
             _IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE=1000,
             _MAINTENANCE_COUNT=3700 - 1,
+            _LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT=0,
             ServerConfig=DEFAULT,
         ) as mocks:
             mocks["connection"].close = MagicMock()
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             connection=DEFAULT,
             _IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE=1000,
             _MAINTENANCE_COUNT=(3600 * 7) - 1,
+            _LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT=0,
             ServerConfig=DEFAULT,
         ) as mocks:
             mocks["connection"].close = MagicMock()
@@ -117,6 +120,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             connection=DEFAULT,
             _IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE=1000,
             _MAINTENANCE_COUNT=(3600 * 7) - 1,
+            _LAST_SERVER_TIME_SNAPSHOT=0,
             SESSIONS=DEFAULT,
             _IDLE_TIMEOUT=10,
             time=DEFAULT,