diff --git a/openeo_driver/backend.py b/openeo_driver/backend.py
index cb1cf0cc..a17cc16f 100644
--- a/openeo_driver/backend.py
+++ b/openeo_driver/backend.py
@@ -16,11 +16,15 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 
 from openeo import ImageCollection
+from openeo.util import date_to_rfc3339
 from openeo_driver.errors import OpenEOApiException, CollectionNotFoundException
 from openeo_driver.utils import read_json
 
 
 class ServiceMetadata(NamedTuple):
+    # TODO: move this to openeo-python-client?
+    # TODO: also add user metadata?
+
     # Required fields (no default)
     id: str
     process: dict  # TODO: also encapsulate this "process graph with metadata" struct (instead of free-form dict)?
@@ -28,6 +32,7 @@ class ServiceMetadata(NamedTuple):
     type: str
     enabled: bool
     attributes: dict
+
     # Optional fields (with default)
     title: str = None
     description: str = None
@@ -37,6 +42,21 @@ class ServiceMetadata(NamedTuple):
     costs: float = None
     budget: float = None
 
+    def prepare_for_json(self) -> dict:
+        """Prepare metadata for JSON serialization"""
+        d = self._asdict()
+        d["created"] = date_to_rfc3339(self.created) if self.created else None
+        return d
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_dict(cls, d:dict) -> 'ServiceMetadata':
+        """Load ServiceMetadata from dict (e.g. parsed JSON dump)."""
+        created = d.get("created")
+        if isinstance(created, str):
+            d = d.copy()
+            d["created"] = datetime.strptime(created, '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')
+        return cls(**d)
+
 
 class SecondaryServices:
     """
diff --git a/openeo_driver/views.py b/openeo_driver/views.py
index fb34ab54..cfa0c67c 100644
--- a/openeo_driver/views.py
+++ b/openeo_driver/views.py
@@ -591,8 +591,7 @@ def services_post():
 
 def _service_metadata_to_json(metadata: ServiceMetadata, full=True) -> dict:
     """API-version-aware conversion of service metadata to jsonable dict"""
-    d = metadata._asdict()
-    d["created"] = date_to_rfc3339(metadata.created) if metadata.created else None
+    d = metadata.prepare_for_json()
     if not full:
         d.pop("process")
         d.pop("attributes")