diff --git a/internal/server/runner.go b/internal/server/runner.go
index 8ac0329..6849b9c 100644
--- a/internal/server/runner.go
+++ b/internal/server/runner.go
@@ -193,9 +193,6 @@ func (r *Runner) predict(req PredictionRequest) (chan PredictionResponse, error)
 		log.Errorw("prediction rejected: server is defunct")
 		return nil, ErrDefunct
 	}
-	if req.CreatedAt == "" {
-		req.CreatedAt = util.NowIso()
-	}
 	r.mu.Lock()
 	if len(r.pending) >= r.maxConcurrency {
 		r.mu.Unlock()
@@ -210,6 +207,13 @@ func (r *Runner) predict(req PredictionRequest) (chan PredictionResponse, error)
 	r.mu.Unlock()
 
 	log.Infow("received prediction request", "id", req.Id)
+	if req.CreatedAt == "" {
+		req.CreatedAt = util.NowIso()
+	}
+	// Start here so that input downloads are counted towards predict_time
+	if req.StartedAt == "" {
+		req.StartedAt = util.NowIso()
+	}
 
 	inputPaths := make([]string, 0)
 	input, err := handleInputPaths(req.Input, r.doc, &inputPaths, base64ToInput)
@@ -228,6 +232,7 @@ func (r *Runner) predict(req PredictionRequest) (chan PredictionResponse, error)
 		Input:     req.Input,
 		Id:        req.Id,
 		CreatedAt: req.CreatedAt,
+		StartedAt: req.StartedAt,
 	}
 	pr := PendingPrediction{
 		request:    req,
diff --git a/internal/server/types.go b/internal/server/types.go
index ca98f74..dd7f64f 100644
--- a/internal/server/types.go
+++ b/internal/server/types.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ type PredictionRequest struct {
 	Input               any            `json:"input"`
 	Id                  string         `json:"id"`
 	CreatedAt           string         `json:"created_at"`
+	StartedAt           string         `json:"started_at"`
 	Webhook             string         `json:"webhook,omitempty"`
 	WebhookEventsFilter []WebhookEvent `json:"webhook_events_filter,omitempty"`
 	OutputFilePrefix    string         `json:"output_file_prefix,omitempty"`
diff --git a/python/coglet/file_runner.py b/python/coglet/file_runner.py
index 45a9c3e..027abc8 100644
--- a/python/coglet/file_runner.py
+++ b/python/coglet/file_runner.py
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ async def _predict(self, pid: str, req: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         assert self.runner is not None
 
         resp: Dict[str, Any] = {
-            'started_at': util.now_iso(),
             'status': 'starting',
         }
         context_dict = {}