diff --git a/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert.go b/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert.go
index 50b4c4dd993..47258677658 100644
--- a/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert.go
+++ b/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert.go
@@ -320,10 +320,10 @@ func PauseAlert(cmd *m.PauseAlertCommand) error {
 		buffer.WriteString(`UPDATE alert SET state = ?, new_state_date = ?`)
 		if cmd.Paused {
 			params = append(params, string(m.AlertStatePaused))
-			params = append(params, timeNow())
+			params = append(params, timeNow().UTC())
 		} else {
 			params = append(params, string(m.AlertStateUnknown))
-			params = append(params, timeNow())
+			params = append(params, timeNow().UTC())
 		}
 
 		buffer.WriteString(` WHERE id IN (?` + strings.Repeat(",?", len(cmd.AlertIds)-1) + `)`)
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func PauseAllAlerts(cmd *m.PauseAllAlertCommand) error {
 			newState = string(m.AlertStateUnknown)
 		}
 
-		res, err := sess.Exec(`UPDATE alert SET state = ?, new_state_date = ?`, newState, timeNow())
+		res, err := sess.Exec(`UPDATE alert SET state = ?, new_state_date = ?`, newState, timeNow().UTC())
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert_test.go b/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert_test.go
index 40867e96b4d..3ea03caa874 100644
--- a/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/sqlstore/alert_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import (
 func mockTimeNow() {
 	var timeSeed int64
 	timeNow = func() time.Time {
-		fakeNow := time.Unix(timeSeed, 0)
+		loc := time.FixedZone("MockZoneUTC-5", -5*60*60)
+		fakeNow := time.Unix(timeSeed, 0).In(loc)
 		timeSeed++
 		return fakeNow
 	}
@@ -84,6 +85,12 @@ func TestAlertingDataAccess(t *testing.T) {
 					So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
 				})
 
+				Convey("alert is paused", func() {
+					alert, _ = getAlertById(1)
+					currentState := alert.State
+					So(currentState, ShouldEqual, "paused")
+				})
+
 				Convey("pausing alerts should update their NewStateDate", func() {
 					alert, _ = getAlertById(1)
 					stateDateAfterPause := alert.NewStateDate