diff --git a/application/datamodel.application.xml b/application/datamodel.application.xml
index 2858b3c1e..8095c6368 100644
--- a/application/datamodel.application.xml
+++ b/application/datamodel.application.xml
@@ -253,6 +253,22 @@
               </argument>
             </arguments>
           </method>
+          <method id="SetCurrentDateIfNull">
+            <arguments>
+              <argument id="1">
+                <type>attcode</type>
+                <mandatory>true</mandatory>
+                <type_restrictions>
+                  <operation>allow</operation>
+                  <types>
+                    <type id="AttributeDate"/>
+                    <type id="AttributeDateTime"/>
+                    <type id="AttributeString"/>
+                  </types>
+                </type_restrictions>
+              </argument>
+            </arguments>
+          </method>
           <method id="SetCurrentUser">
             <arguments>
               <argument id="1">
diff --git a/core/dbobject.class.php b/core/dbobject.class.php
index 481bd0bc7..1127b5910 100644
--- a/core/dbobject.class.php
+++ b/core/dbobject.class.php
@@ -3982,6 +3982,30 @@ abstract class DBObject implements iDisplay
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Helper to set a value only if it is currently undefined
+	 *
+	 * Call SetCurrentDate() only of the internal representation of the attribute is null.
+	 *
+	 * @api
+	 * @see SetCurrentDate()
+	 *
+	 * @param string $sAttCode
+	 *
+	 * @throws \CoreException
+	 * @throws \CoreUnexpectedValue
+	 * @since 3.0.0
+	 */
+	public function SetCurrentDateIfNull($sAttCode)
+	{
+		$oAttDef = MetaModel::GetAttributeDef(get_class($this), $sAttCode);
+		$oCurrentValue = $this->Get($sAttCode);
+		if ($oAttDef->IsNull($oCurrentValue))
+		{
+			$this->SetCurrentDate($sAttCode);
+		}
+	}
+
     /**
      * Helper to set the current logged in user for the given attribute
      * Suitable for use as a lifecycle action
diff --git a/datamodels/2.x/itop-tickets/datamodel.itop-tickets.xml b/datamodels/2.x/itop-tickets/datamodel.itop-tickets.xml
index ad7ad68f8..9b8dd7c5d 100755
--- a/datamodels/2.x/itop-tickets/datamodel.itop-tickets.xml
+++ b/datamodels/2.x/itop-tickets/datamodel.itop-tickets.xml
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@
 								<target>closed</target>
                 <actions>
                   <action>
-                    <verb>SetCurrentDate</verb>
+                    <verb>SetCurrentDateIfNull</verb>
                     <params>
                       <param xsi:type="attcode">end_date</param>
                     </params>