diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 2b1cf117c..008316fc5 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -1488,6 +1488,8 @@ func (c *Config) buildInput(name string, tbl *ast.Table) (*models.InputConfig, e
 	cp.CollectionJitter, _ = c.getFieldDuration(tbl, "collection_jitter")
 	cp.CollectionOffset, _ = c.getFieldDuration(tbl, "collection_offset")
 	cp.StartupErrorBehavior = c.getFieldString(tbl, "startup_error_behavior")
+	cp.TimeSource = c.getFieldString(tbl, "time_source")
+
 	cp.MeasurementPrefix = c.getFieldString(tbl, "name_prefix")
 	cp.MeasurementSuffix = c.getFieldString(tbl, "name_suffix")
 	cp.NameOverride = c.getFieldString(tbl, "name_override")
diff --git a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
index 313c6fa91..c87c6e233 100644
--- a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
+++ b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
@@ -396,6 +396,14 @@ Parameters that can be used with any input plugin:
 
   When this value is set on a service input, multiple events occurring at the
   same timestamp may be merged by the output database.
+- **time_source**:
+  Specifies the source of the timestamp on metrics. Possible values are:
+  - `metric` will not alter the metric (default)
+  - `collection_start` sets the timestamp to when collection started
+  - `collection_end` set the timestamp to when collection finished
+
+  `time_source` will NOT be used for service inputs. It is up to each individual
+  service input to set the timestamp.
 - **collection_jitter**:
   Overrides the `collection_jitter` setting of the [agent][Agent] for the
   plugin.  Collection jitter is used to jitter the collection by a random
diff --git a/models/running_input.go b/models/running_input.go
index 8a5ff0607..7858d0e3e 100644
--- a/models/running_input.go
+++ b/models/running_input.go
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@ type RunningInput struct {
 	log         telegraf.Logger
 	defaultTags map[string]string
 
-	startAcc telegraf.Accumulator
-	started  bool
-	retries  uint64
+	startAcc    telegraf.Accumulator
+	started     bool
+	retries     uint64
+	gatherStart time.Time
+	gatherEnd   time.Time
 
 	MetricsGathered selfstat.Stat
 	GatherTime      selfstat.Stat
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ type InputConfig struct {
 	CollectionJitter     time.Duration
 	CollectionOffset     time.Duration
 	Precision            time.Duration
+	TimeSource           string
 	StartupErrorBehavior string
 	LogLevel             string
 
@@ -114,6 +117,14 @@ func (r *RunningInput) Init() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid 'startup_error_behavior' setting %q", r.Config.StartupErrorBehavior)
 	}
 
+	switch r.Config.TimeSource {
+	case "":
+		r.Config.TimeSource = "metric"
+	case "metric", "collection_start", "collection_end":
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid 'time_source' setting %q", r.Config.TimeSource)
+	}
+
 	if p, ok := r.Input.(telegraf.Initializer); ok {
 		return p.Init()
 	}
@@ -206,6 +217,14 @@ func (r *RunningInput) MakeMetric(metric telegraf.Metric) telegraf.Metric {
 		makemetric(metric, "", "", "", local, global)
 	}
 
+	switch r.Config.TimeSource {
+	case "collection_start":
+		metric.SetTime(r.gatherStart)
+	case "collection_end":
+		metric.SetTime(r.gatherEnd)
+	default:
+	}
+
 	r.MetricsGathered.Incr(1)
 	GlobalMetricsGathered.Incr(1)
 	return metric
@@ -228,10 +247,11 @@ func (r *RunningInput) Gather(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	start := time.Now()
+	r.gatherStart = time.Now()
 	err := r.Input.Gather(acc)
-	elapsed := time.Since(start)
-	r.GatherTime.Incr(elapsed.Nanoseconds())
+	r.gatherEnd = time.Now()
+
+	r.GatherTime.Incr(r.gatherEnd.Sub(r.gatherStart).Nanoseconds())
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/models/running_input_test.go b/models/running_input_test.go
index 877cc2bd3..9bf7d6d9e 100644
--- a/models/running_input_test.go
+++ b/models/running_input_test.go
@@ -428,6 +428,65 @@ func TestMakeMetricWithAlwaysKeepingPluginTagsEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, expected, actual)
 }
 
+func TestMakeMetricWithGatherMetricTimeSource(t *testing.T) {
+	ri := NewRunningInput(&testInput{}, &InputConfig{
+		Name:                    "TestRunningInput",
+		Tags:                    make(map[string]string),
+		Filter:                  Filter{},
+		AlwaysIncludeLocalTags:  false,
+		AlwaysIncludeGlobalTags: false,
+		TimeSource:              "metric",
+	})
+	start := time.Now()
+	ri.gatherStart = start
+	ri.gatherEnd = start.Add(time.Second)
+
+	expected := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+
+	m := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+	actual := ri.MakeMetric(m)
+
+	require.Equal(t, expected, actual)
+}
+
+func TestMakeMetricWithGatherStartTimeSource(t *testing.T) {
+	start := time.Now()
+	ri := NewRunningInput(&testInput{}, &InputConfig{
+		Name:                    "TestRunningInput",
+		Tags:                    make(map[string]string),
+		Filter:                  Filter{},
+		AlwaysIncludeLocalTags:  false,
+		AlwaysIncludeGlobalTags: false,
+		TimeSource:              "collection_start",
+	})
+	ri.gatherStart = start
+
+	expected := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+	expected.SetTime(start)
+
+	m := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+	actual := ri.MakeMetric(m)
+
+	require.Equal(t, expected, actual)
+}
+
+func TestMakeMetricWithGatherEndTimeSource(t *testing.T) {
+	end := time.Now()
+	ri := NewRunningInput(&testInput{}, &InputConfig{
+		Name:       "TestRunningInput",
+		TimeSource: "collection_end",
+	})
+	ri.gatherEnd = end
+
+	expected := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+	expected.SetTime(end)
+
+	m := testutil.MockMetrics()[0]
+	actual := ri.MakeMetric(m)
+
+	require.Equal(t, expected, actual)
+}
+
 type testInput struct{}
 
 func (t *testInput) Description() string                 { return "" }