diff --git a/php/ext/google/protobuf/package.xml b/php/ext/google/protobuf/package.xml
index 76e02904c2..877678c40f 100644
--- a/php/ext/google/protobuf/package.xml
+++ b/php/ext/google/protobuf/package.xml
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
   <email>protobuf-opensource@google.com</email>
   <active>yes</active>
  </lead>
+ <date>2019-02-22</date>
+ <time>11:31:21</time>
  <version>
   <release>3.7.0RC3</release>
   <api>3.7.0</api>
@@ -18,8 +20,6 @@
   <release>beta</release>
   <api>beta</api>
  </stability>
- <date>2019-02-22</date>
- <time>11:31:21</time>
  <license uri="https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause">3-Clause BSD License</license>
  <notes>GA release.</notes>
  <contents>
diff --git a/update_version.py b/update_version.py
index 42e632dfbb..dcc25317fd 100755
--- a/update_version.py
+++ b/update_version.py
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ def UpdatePhp():
       return elem
 
     root = document.documentElement
+    now = datetime.datetime.now()
+    ReplaceText(Find(root, 'date'), now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
+    ReplaceText(Find(root, 'time'), now.strftime('%H:%M:%S'))
     version = Find(root, 'version')
     ReplaceText(Find(version, 'release'), GetFullVersion(rc_suffix = 'RC'))
     ReplaceText(Find(version, 'api'), NEW_VERSION)
@@ -220,9 +223,6 @@ def UpdatePhp():
     ReplaceText(Find(stability, 'release'),
         'stable' if RC_VERSION == 0 else 'beta')
     ReplaceText(Find(stability, 'api'), 'stable' if RC_VERSION == 0 else 'beta')
-    now = datetime.datetime.now()
-    ReplaceText(Find(root, 'date'), now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
-    ReplaceText(Find(root, 'time'), now.strftime('%H:%M:%S'))
     changelog = Find(root, 'changelog')
     for old_version in changelog.getElementsByTagName('version'):
       if Find(old_version, 'release').firstChild.nodeValue == NEW_VERSION: