diff --git a/prometheus_client/parser.py b/prometheus_client/parser.py
index d3c7832a..1b4373eb 100644
--- a/prometheus_client/parser.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/parser.py
@@ -103,15 +103,17 @@ def _parse_labels(labels_string):
 
 
 # If we have multiple values only consider the first
-def _parse_value(s):
+def _parse_value_and_timestamp(s):
     s = s.lstrip()
     separator = " "
     if separator not in s:
         separator = "\t"
-    i = s.find(separator)
-    if i == -1:
-        return s
-    return s[:i]
+    values = [value.strip() for value in s.split(separator) if value.strip()]
+    if not values:
+        return float(s), None
+    value = float(values[0])
+    timestamp = (float(values[-1])/1000) if len(values) > 1 else None
+    return value, timestamp
 
 
 def _parse_sample(text):
@@ -123,8 +125,8 @@ def _parse_sample(text):
         # We ignore the starting curly brace
         label = text[label_start + 1:label_end]
         # The value is after the label end (ignoring curly brace and space)
-        value = float(_parse_value(text[label_end + 2:]))
-        return Sample(name, _parse_labels(label), value)
+        value, timestamp = _parse_value_and_timestamp(text[label_end + 2:])
+        return Sample(name, _parse_labels(label), value, timestamp)
 
     # We don't have labels
     except ValueError:
@@ -135,8 +137,8 @@ def _parse_sample(text):
         name_end = text.index(separator)
         name = text[:name_end]
         # The value is after the name
-        value = float(_parse_value(text[name_end:]))
-        return Sample(name, {}, value)
+        value, timestamp = _parse_value_and_timestamp(text[name_end:])
+        return Sample(name, {}, value, timestamp)
 
 
 def text_fd_to_metric_families(fd):
diff --git a/tests/test_parser.py b/tests/test_parser.py
index 0c936baf..44a3fa45 100644
--- a/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -273,17 +273,20 @@ def test_escaping(self):
         metric_family.add_metric(["b\\a\\z"], 2)
         self.assertEqualMetrics([metric_family], list(families))
 
-    def test_timestamps_discarded(self):
+    def test_timestamps(self):
         families = text_string_to_metric_families("""# TYPE a counter
 # HELP a help
 a{foo="bar"} 1\t000
 # TYPE b counter
 # HELP b help
 b 2  1234567890
+b 88   1234566000   
 """)
         a = CounterMetricFamily("a", "help", labels=["foo"])
-        a.add_metric(["bar"], 1)
-        b = CounterMetricFamily("b", "help", value=2)
+        a.add_metric(["bar"], 1, timestamp=0)
+        b = CounterMetricFamily("b", "help")
+        b.add_metric([], 2, timestamp=1234567.89)
+        b.add_metric([], 88, timestamp=1234566)
         self.assertEqualMetrics([a, b], list(families))
 
     @unittest.skipIf(sys.version_info < (2, 7), "Test requires Python 2.7+.")