diff --git a/apps/predbat/load_ml_component.py b/apps/predbat/load_ml_component.py
index d0bc62358..859e23836 100644
--- a/apps/predbat/load_ml_component.py
+++ b/apps/predbat/load_ml_component.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def _init_predictor(self):
                     self.model_valid = True
                     self.model_status = "active"
                     self.initial_training_done = True
+                    self.last_train_time = self.predictor.training_timestamp
                 else:
                     self.log("ML Component: Loaded model is invalid ({}), will retrain".format(reason))
                     self.model_status = "fallback_" + reason
diff --git a/apps/predbat/tests/test_load_ml.py b/apps/predbat/tests/test_load_ml.py
index 2a5ab241f..c8eea6dd7 100644
--- a/apps/predbat/tests/test_load_ml.py
+++ b/apps/predbat/tests/test_load_ml.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ def test_load_ml(my_predbat=None):
         ("component_publish_entity", _test_component_publish_entity, "LoadMLComponent _publish_entity method"),
         ("car_subtraction_direct", _test_car_subtraction_direct, "Direct car_subtraction method with interpolation and smoothing"),
         ("component_run_data_merge", _test_component_run_data_merge, "LoadMLComponent run() data fetch, save and merge across two runs"),
+        ("component_init_predictor_last_train_time", _test_component_init_predictor_sets_last_train_time, "LoadMLComponent _init_predictor sets last_train_time from embedded training_timestamp"),
         # ("real_data_training", _test_real_data_training, "Train on real data with chart"),
         # ("pretrained_model_prediction", _test_pretrained_model_prediction, "Load pre-trained model and generate predictions with chart"),
     ]
@@ -2881,3 +2882,67 @@ def get_arg(self, key, default=None, indirect=True, combine=False, attribute=Non
     print("PASS")
 
     print("  All car_subtraction direct tests passed!")
+
+
+def _test_component_init_predictor_sets_last_train_time():
+    """Test that _init_predictor populates last_train_time from the model's embedded training_timestamp."""
+    import tempfile
+    from load_ml_component import LoadMLComponent
+
+    class MockBase:
+        """Minimal base required by ComponentBase and LoadMLComponent.initialize."""
+
+        def __init__(self, config_root):
+            self.prefix = "predbat"
+            self.config_root = config_root
+            self.now_utc = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+            self.midnight_utc = self.now_utc.replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0)
+            self.minutes_now = (self.now_utc - self.midnight_utc).seconds // 60
+            self.local_tz = timezone.utc
+            self.args = {}
+            self.log_messages = []
+
+        def log(self, msg):
+            self.log_messages.append(msg)
+
+        def get_arg(self, key, default=None, indirect=True, combine=False, attribute=None, index=None, domain=None, can_override=True, required_unit=None):
+            return {
+                "load_today": ["sensor.load_today"],
+                "load_power": None,
+                "car_charging_energy": None,
+                "load_scaling": 1.0,
+                "car_charging_energy_scale": 1.0,
+            }.get(key, default)
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        model_path = os.path.join(tmpdir, "predbat_ml_model.npz")
+        np.random.seed(42)
+        now_utc = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        load_data = _create_synthetic_load_data(n_days=7, now_utc=now_utc)
+
+        # --- Part 1: model with a known timestamp → last_train_time set to that timestamp ---
+        predictor = LoadPredictor(learning_rate=0.01)
+        predictor.train(load_data, now_utc, is_initial=True, epochs=2, time_decay_days=7)
+        known_timestamp = predictor.training_timestamp
+        assert known_timestamp is not None, "Predictor should have training_timestamp after training"
+        predictor.validation_mae = 0.1  # Force a passing validation score
+        predictor.save(model_path)
+
+        component = LoadMLComponent(MockBase(config_root=tmpdir), load_ml_enable=True)
+
+        assert component.last_train_time is not None, "last_train_time should be set after loading a cached model"
+        assert component.last_train_time == known_timestamp, "last_train_time should equal the model's embedded training_timestamp (not filesystem mtime); " "got {} expected {}".format(component.last_train_time, known_timestamp)
+        assert component.model_valid is True, "Model should be marked valid"
+        assert component.initial_training_done is True, "initial_training_done should be True"
+
+        # --- Part 2: model with no timestamp → last_train_time stays None (triggers retrain) ---
+        predictor2 = LoadPredictor(learning_rate=0.01)
+        predictor2.train(load_data, now_utc, is_initial=True, epochs=2, time_decay_days=7)
+        predictor2.training_timestamp = None  # Simulate a pre-timestamp model
+        predictor2.validation_mae = 0.1
+        predictor2.save(model_path)
+
+        component2 = LoadMLComponent(MockBase(config_root=tmpdir), load_ml_enable=True)
+
+        assert component2.last_train_time is None, "last_train_time should remain None when model has no embedded timestamp (triggers safe retrain)"
+        assert component2.model_valid is True, "Model without timestamp should still be considered valid by is_valid()"