diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@
 int		set_option(const option_t *, const char *, char *, size_t);
 int		set_option_var(const option_t *, const char *, const char *,
     char *, size_t);
+void		set_tstamp(fsnode *);
 fsnode *	walk_dir(const char *, const char *, fsnode *, fsnode *);
 void		free_fsnodes(fsnode *);
 option_t *	copy_opts(const option_t *);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.8 b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.8
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.8
@@ -259,9 +259,13 @@
 .Pa pathname ,
 where the timestamps are derived from that file, or an integer
 value interpreted as the number of seconds from the Epoch.
-Note that timestamps specified in an
+Timestamps in a
 .Xr mtree 5
-spec file, override the default timestamp.
+specfile (specified with
+.Fl F )
+are used even if a default timestamp is specified.
+However, the timestamps in an mtree manifest are ignored
+if a default timestamp is specified.
 .It Fl t Ar fs-type
 Create an
 .Ar fs-type
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.c
@@ -436,6 +436,22 @@
 	return -1;
 }
 
+void
+set_tstamp(fsnode *cur)
+{
+	cur->inode->st.st_atime = stampst.st_atime;
+	cur->inode->st.st_mtime = stampst.st_mtime;
+	cur->inode->st.st_ctime = stampst.st_ctime;
+#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_MTIMENSEC
+	cur->inode->st.st_atimensec = stampst.st_atimensec;
+	cur->inode->st.st_mtimensec = stampst.st_mtimensec;
+	cur->inode->st.st_ctimensec = stampst.st_ctimensec;
+#endif
+#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_BIRTHTIME
+	cur->inode->st.st_birthtime = stampst.st_birthtime;
+	cur->inode->st.st_birthtimensec = stampst.st_birthtimensec;
+#endif
+}
 
 static fstype_t *
 get_fstype(const char *type)
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
@@ -631,6 +631,9 @@
 				}
 				/* Ignore. */
 			} else if (strcmp(keyword, "time") == 0) {
+				/* Ignore if a default timestamp is present. */
+				if (stampst.st_ino != 0)
+					break;
 				if (value == NULL) {
 					error = ENOATTR;
 					break;
@@ -720,7 +723,9 @@
 		return (error);
 
 	st->st_mode = (st->st_mode & ~S_IFMT) | node->type;
-
+	/* Store default timestamp, if present. */
+	if (stampst.st_ino != 0)
+		set_tstamp(node);
 	/* Nothing more to do for the global defaults. */
 	if (node->name == NULL)
 		return (0);
@@ -1051,8 +1056,16 @@
 	mtree_global.inode = &mtree_global_inode;
 	mtree_global_inode.nlink = 1;
 	mtree_global_inode.st.st_nlink = 1;
-	mtree_global_inode.st.st_atime = mtree_global_inode.st.st_ctime =
-	    mtree_global_inode.st.st_mtime = time(NULL);
+	if (stampst.st_ino != 0) {
+		set_tstamp(&mtree_global);
+	} else {
+#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_BIRTHTIME
+		mtree_global_inode.st.st_birthtime =
+#endif
+		    mtree_global_inode.st.st_atime =
+		    mtree_global_inode.st.st_ctime =
+		    mtree_global_inode.st.st_mtime = time(NULL);
+	}
 	errors = warnings = 0;
 
 	setgroupent(1);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
@@ -248,20 +248,8 @@
 	cur->type = stbuf->st_mode & S_IFMT;
 	cur->inode->nlink = 1;
 	cur->inode->st = *stbuf;
-	if (stampst.st_ino) {
-		cur->inode->st.st_atime = stampst.st_atime;
-		cur->inode->st.st_mtime = stampst.st_mtime;
-		cur->inode->st.st_ctime = stampst.st_ctime;
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_MTIMENSEC
-		cur->inode->st.st_atimensec = stampst.st_atimensec;
-		cur->inode->st.st_mtimensec = stampst.st_mtimensec;
-		cur->inode->st.st_ctimensec = stampst.st_ctimensec;
-#endif
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_BIRTHTIME
-		cur->inode->st.st_birthtime = stampst.st_birthtime;
-		cur->inode->st.st_birthtimensec = stampst.st_birthtimensec;
-#endif
-	}
+	if (stampst.st_ino != 0)
+		set_tstamp(cur);
 	return (cur);
 }