diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c04d3d11f..af933b202 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ t
 version_info.json
 .coverage*
 UNKNOWN.egg-info/
-process_models/
\ No newline at end of file
+process_models/
+.ipynb_checkpoints
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_migrations/version_1_3.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_migrations/version_1_3.py
index 32a9c4a36..e1168eba5 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_migrations/version_1_3.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_migrations/version_1_3.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import copy
 import json
-import time
 import uuid
 from hashlib import sha256
 
@@ -219,9 +218,14 @@ class VersionOneThree:
         task_models = TaskModel.query.filter(TaskModel.properties_json.like('%last_state_change": null%')).all()  # type: ignore
         for task_model in task_models:
             parent_task_model = task_model.parent_task_model()
-            last_state_change = time.time()
+
+            # we really don't know what to set this to if there is no parent_task_model,
+            # so let spiff fix it for us by telling it it is out of date
+            last_state_change = 0
+
             if parent_task_model is not None:
                 last_state_change = parent_task_model.properties_json["last_state_change"]
+
             task_model.properties_json["last_state_change"] = last_state_change
             task_model.properties_json["task_spec"] = task_model.task_definition.bpmn_identifier
             flag_modified(task_model, "properties_json")  # type: ignore