diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/00-netstate b/package/base-files/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/00-netstate
index a10d871dc4..e2e58456bd 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/00-netstate
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/00-netstate
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [ ifup = "$ACTION" ] && {
 	uci_set_state network "$INTERFACE" up 1 
-	uci_set_state network "$INTERFACE" connect_time $(date +%s)
+	uci_set_state network "$INTERFACE" connect_time $(sed -ne 's![^0-9].*$!!p' /proc/uptime)
 	[ -n "$DEVICE" ] && uci_set_state network "$INTERFACE" ifname "$DEVICE"
 }