diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/CMakeLists.txt b/src/ioslaves/file/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,3 +33,6 @@
 
 set_target_properties(kio_file PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "file")
 install(TARGETS kio_file  DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_PLUGINDIR}/kf5/kio)
+
+include(CheckSymbolExists)
+check_symbol_exists(st_birthtime "sys/stat.h" HAVE_ST_BIRTHTIME)
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/config-kioslave-file.h.cmake b/src/ioslaves/file/config-kioslave-file.h.cmake
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/config-kioslave-file.h.cmake
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/config-kioslave-file.h.cmake
@@ -10,3 +10,5 @@
 /* Defined to if you have a d_type member in struct dirent */
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_DIRENT_D_TYPE
 
+/* Defined if st_birthtime is defined */
+#cmakedefine01 HAVE_ST_BIRTHTIME
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp b/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
@@ -854,11 +854,22 @@
 #pragma message("TODO: st_uid and st_gid are always zero, use GetSecurityInfo to find the owner")
 #endif
         entry.insert(KIO::UDSEntry::UDS_ACCESS_TIME, buff.st_atime);
+#ifdef HAVE_ST_BIRTHTIME
+        /* For example FreeBSD's and NetBSD's stat contains a field for
+         * the inode birth time: st_birthtime
+         * This however only works on UFS and ZFS, and not, on say, NFS.
+         * Instead of setting a bogus fallback like st_mtime, only use
+         * it if it is greater than 0. */
+        if (buff.st_birthtime > 0) {
+            entry.insert(KIO::UDSEntry::UDS_CREATION_TIME, buff.st_birthtime);
+        }
+#endif
     }
 
     // Note: buff.st_ctime isn't the creation time !
     // We made that mistake for KDE 2.0, but it's in fact the
     // "file status" change time, which we don't care about.
+    // For at least FreeBSD and NetBSD, use st_birthtime.
 
     return true;
 }