diff --git a/src/ds/d400/d400-device.cpp b/src/ds/d400/d400-device.cpp
index 0506bd9cb56..68e0d259c5f 100644
--- a/src/ds/d400/d400-device.cpp
+++ b/src/ds/d400/d400-device.cpp
@@ -1090,13 +1090,25 @@ namespace librealsense
         // attributes of md_mipi_depth_control structure
         auto md_prop_offset = offsetof(metadata_mipi_depth_raw, depth_mode);
 
-        // optical_timestamp contains value of exposure/2
-        depth_sensor.register_metadata(RS2_FRAME_METADATA_SENSOR_TIMESTAMP,
+        // timestamp metadata field alignment with FW was implemented on FW version 5.17.0.0
+        if ( _fw_version >= firmware_version( "5.17.0.0" ) ) 
+        {
+            // optical_timestamp contains value of exposure/2
+            depth_sensor.register_metadata(RS2_FRAME_METADATA_SENSOR_TIMESTAMP,
                                        make_rs400_sensor_ts_parser(make_uvc_header_parser(&platform::uvc_header::timestamp),
                                                                    make_attribute_parser(&md_mipi_depth_mode::optical_timestamp,
                                                                                          md_mipi_depth_control_attributes::optical_timestamp_attribute,
                                                                                          md_prop_offset)));
 
+        }
+        else  // keep backward compatible with previous behavior
+        {  
+            depth_sensor.register_metadata(RS2_FRAME_METADATA_SENSOR_TIMESTAMP,
+                                       make_attribute_parser(&md_mipi_depth_mode::hw_timestamp,
+                                                             md_mipi_depth_control_attributes::hw_timestamp_attribute,
+                                                             md_prop_offset));
+        }
+
         depth_sensor.register_metadata(RS2_FRAME_METADATA_ACTUAL_EXPOSURE,
                                        make_attribute_parser(&md_mipi_depth_mode::exposure_time,
                                                              md_mipi_depth_control_attributes::exposure_time_attribute,