diff --git a/sugar/activity/activity.py b/sugar/activity/activity.py
index 05d02a4c..3dba4c71 100644
--- a/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -201,12 +201,14 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
 
         if handle.object_id:
             self.jobject = datastore.get(handle.object_id)
+            self.jobject.object_id = ''
+            del self.jobject['ctime']
+            del self.jobject['mtime']
         elif create_jobject:
             logging.debug('Creating a jobject.')
             self.jobject = datastore.create()
             self.jobject['title'] = '%s %s' % (get_bundle_name(), 'Activity')
             self.jobject['activity'] = self.get_service_name()
-            self.jobject['date'] = str(time.time())
             self.jobject['icon'] = self._get_icon()
             self.jobject['keep'] = '0'
             self.jobject['buddies'] = ''
diff --git a/sugar/datastore/datastore.py b/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
index 99fd230d..9d656707 100644
--- a/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
+++ b/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ class DSObject(gobject.GObject):
             self.metadata[key] = value
             self.emit('updated')
 
+    def __delitem__(self, key):
+        del self.metadata[key]
+
     def get_metadata(self):
         return self._metadata
     
diff --git a/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py b/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
index 33aa9a6e..fa054915 100644
--- a/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
+++ b/sugar/datastore/dbus_helpers.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def create(properties, filename):
     return object_id
 
 def update(uid, properties, filename, reply_handler=None, error_handler=None):
-    logging.debug('dbus_helpers.update')
+    logging.debug('dbus_helpers.update: %s, %s' % (uid, filename))
     if reply_handler and error_handler:
         _data_store.update(uid, dbus.Dictionary(properties), filename,
                 reply_handler=reply_handler,