diff --git a/sharing/BUILD b/sharing/BUILD
index 8c7986c7..b666406e 100644
--- a/sharing/BUILD
+++ b/sharing/BUILD
@@ -657,6 +657,7 @@ cc_test(
         ":transfer_metadata",
         ":transfer_metadata_matchers",
         ":types",
+        "//google/protobuf:timestamp_cc_proto",
         "//internal/base:file_path",
         "//internal/base:files",
         "//internal/flags:nearby_flags",
diff --git a/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl.cc b/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl.cc
index 9d63cea3..2e4c9211 100644
--- a/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl.cc
+++ b/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl.cc
@@ -2860,8 +2860,14 @@ void NearbySharingServiceImpl::OnPeerSyncBindingComplete(
                                                kJoinBindingTimeLifeTime);
     }
   }
-  // Download public certificates again to update the newly added sync binding.
-  certificate_manager_->DownloadPublicCertificates();
+  // TODO: Remove this check after BE supports cert download without join time.
+  // Without join time, the new download can overwrite the bindings we added
+  // from the binding response.
+  if (binding_response.has_join_binding_time()) {
+    // Download public certificates again to update the newly added sync
+    // binding.
+    certificate_manager_->DownloadPublicCertificates();
+  }
 }
 
 void NearbySharingServiceImpl::OnReceivedIntroduction(
diff --git a/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl_test.cc b/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl_test.cc
index a9ab39be..7c71d8b4 100644
--- a/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl_test.cc
+++ b/sharing/nearby_sharing_service_impl_test.cc
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "google/protobuf/timestamp.pb.h"
 #include "location/nearby/analytics/cpp/logging/mock_event_logger.h"
 #include "location/nearby/sharing/lib/account/fake_account_manager.h"
 #include "location/nearby/sharing/lib/account/mock_account_observer.h"
@@ -5235,10 +5236,11 @@ TEST_F(NearbySharingServiceImplTest, InitiatePairingSuccess) {
   binding_response_frame.set_version(Frame::V1);
   binding_response_frame.mutable_v1()->set_type(
       service::proto::V1Frame::BINDINGS);
-  binding_response_frame.mutable_v1()
+  auto* binding_response = binding_response_frame.mutable_v1()
       ->mutable_bindings()
-      ->mutable_binding_response()
-      ->set_status(service::proto::BindingResponse::SUCCESS);
+      ->mutable_binding_response();
+  binding_response->set_status(service::proto::BindingResponse::SUCCESS);
+  binding_response->mutable_join_binding_time()->set_seconds(1234567890);
   std::vector<uint8_t> result_bytes(binding_response_frame.ByteSizeLong());
   binding_response_frame.SerializeToArray(result_bytes.data(),
                                           result_bytes.size());