diff --git a/app/models/build_list/package.rb b/app/models/build_list/package.rb
index ba3700d11..caffcfd03 100644
--- a/app/models/build_list/package.rb
+++ b/app/models/build_list/package.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ class BuildList::Package < ActiveRecord::Base
   belongs_to :project
   belongs_to :platform
 
-  attr_accessor :epoch
-  attr_accessible :fullname, :name, :release, :version, :sha1
+  attr_accessible :fullname, :name, :release, :version, :sha1, :epoch
 
   validates :build_list_id, :project_id, :platform_id, :fullname,
             :package_type, :name, :release, :version,
@@ -23,6 +22,8 @@ class BuildList::Package < ActiveRecord::Base
   scope :by_package_type, lambda {|type| where(:package_type => type) }
   scope :like_name,       lambda {|name| where("#{table_name}.name ILIKE ?", "%#{name}%") if name.present?}
 
+  before_create :set_epoch
+
   def assignee
     project.maintainer
   end
@@ -38,11 +39,15 @@ class BuildList::Package < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   protected
 
+  def set_epoch
+    self.epoch = nil if epoch.blank? || epoch == 0
+  end
+
   # String representation in the form "e:v-r"
   # @return [String]
   # @note The epoch is included always. As 0 if not present
   def to_vre_epoch_zero
-    evr = epoch.present? ? "#{epoch.to_i}:#{version}" : "0:#{version}"
+    evr = epoch.present? ? "#{epoch}:#{version}" : "0:#{version}"
     evr << "-#{release}" if release.present?
     evr
   end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130912113545_add_epoch_to_build_list_package.rb b/db/migrate/20130912113545_add_epoch_to_build_list_package.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb17ac841
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130912113545_add_epoch_to_build_list_package.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddEpochToBuildListPackage < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    add_column :build_list_packages, :epoch, :integer
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 2e0a0ed69..6a3be7999 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130829161042) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130912113545) do
 
   create_table "activity_feeds", :force => true do |t|
     t.integer  "user_id",    :null => false
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130829161042) do
     t.datetime "updated_at",                       :null => false
     t.boolean  "actual",        :default => false
     t.string   "sha1"
+    t.integer  "epoch"
   end
 
   add_index "build_list_packages", ["actual", "platform_id"], :name => "index_build_list_packages_on_actual_and_platform_id"
diff --git a/spec/models/build_list/package_spec.rb b/spec/models/build_list/package_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3ed6e1c8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/build_list/package_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# -*- encoding : utf-8 -*-
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe BuildList::Package do
+  before { stub_symlink_methods }
+
+  it 'is valid' do
+    FactoryGirl.create(:build_list_package).should be_persisted
+  end
+
+  context '#set_epoch' do
+    let(:package) { FactoryGirl.build(:build_list_package) }
+
+    ['', '(none)'].each do |epoch|
+      it "ensures that epoch is set to nil when epoch is '#{epoch}'" do
+        package.epoch = epoch
+        package.save
+        package.epoch.should be_nil
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    it "ensures that valid epoch has been setted" do
+      package.epoch = '55'
+      package.save
+      package.epoch.should == 55
+    end
+
+  end
+
+end