diff --git a/src/models.py b/src/models.py
index 95de4f8..5bf84a7 100644
--- a/src/models.py
+++ b/src/models.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import json
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 from app import db
 
 
+def get_local_now():
+    return datetime.now(ZoneInfo("America/New_York")).replace(tzinfo=None)
+
+
 class Article(db.Model):
     __tablename__ = "articles"
 
@@ -15,7 +20,7 @@ class Article(db.Model):
     link = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False)
     content_html = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False, default="")
     fetched_at = db.Column(
-        db.DateTime, nullable=False, default=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        db.DateTime, nullable=False, default=get_local_now
     )
 
     images = db.relationship("Image", backref="article", lazy=True,
@@ -45,7 +50,7 @@ class Issue(db.Model):
     article_ids = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False, default="[]")
     excluded_article_ids = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False, default="[]")
     created_at = db.Column(
-        db.DateTime, nullable=False, default=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        db.DateTime, nullable=False, default=get_local_now
     )
     status = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False, default="draft")
     issue_type = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False, default="weekly")
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index 3d06413..3cad632 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import json
 from datetime import datetime, date
+from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 from src.models import Article, Image, Issue, Setting
 
 
@@ -84,3 +85,45 @@ def test_setting_crud(db):
 
     Setting.set("fetch_interval", 4)
     assert Setting.get("fetch_interval") == 4
+
+
+def test_article_default_fetched_at(db):
+    article = Article(
+        guid="https://example.com/?p=101",
+        title="Test Article 2",
+        author="Test Author",
+        pub_date=datetime(2026, 4, 6, 12, 0, 0),
+        categories="[]",
+        link="https://example.com/test2",
+        content_html="<p>Test content</p>",
+    )
+    db.session.add(article)
+    db.session.commit()
+
+    saved = Article.query.filter_by(guid="https://example.com/?p=101").first()
+    assert saved.fetched_at.tzinfo is None
+    # Should be close to current US/Eastern time
+    local_now = datetime.now(ZoneInfo("America/New_York")).replace(tzinfo=None)
+    diff = abs((local_now - saved.fetched_at).total_seconds())
+    assert diff < 10
+
+
+def test_issue_default_created_at(db):
+    issue = Issue(
+        week_start=date(2026, 4, 13),
+        week_end=date(2026, 4, 19),
+        cover_method="text",
+        cover_path="data/issues/cover2.jpg",
+        epub_path="data/issues/test2.epub",
+        article_ids="[]",
+        excluded_article_ids="[]",
+        status="draft",
+    )
+    db.session.add(issue)
+    db.session.commit()
+
+    saved = Issue.query.filter_by(week_start=date(2026, 4, 13)).first()
+    assert saved.created_at.tzinfo is None
+    local_now = datetime.now(ZoneInfo("America/New_York")).replace(tzinfo=None)
+    diff = abs((local_now - saved.created_at).total_seconds())
+    assert diff < 10