diff --git a/test-cases/apertis-update-manager-ota-auto.yaml b/test-cases/apertis-update-manager-ota-auto.yaml
index 57141c409962f158588502c85e2731af3d45ee3e..b637f2da1b232a06d5d91d87ca969eace49d1c1f 100644
--- a/test-cases/apertis-update-manager-ota-auto.yaml
+++ b/test-cases/apertis-update-manager-ota-auto.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@ metadata:
   maintainer: "Apertis Project"
   description: "Test the apertis-update-manager automatic updates over the air."
 
+  pre-conditions:
+    - >
+      This test requires a properly configured time source: when testing
+      devices not carrying a battery-backed real time clock in a network which
+      prevents connections to NTP servers (and only in that case) manually
+      ensure that the time on the device is set appropriately and that it is
+      propagated to the hardware clock so it is stay set on the next reboot if
+      the power is not plugged off.
+    - $ sudo timedatectl --adjust-system-clock set-time "2019-08-21 18:49:03" # use the appropriate date
+
   resources:
     - "The DUT u-boot environment must be clean: in u-boot, run: `env default -a` followed by `saveenv`"
     - "A PC must be connected to DUT serial port"