diff --git a/satpy/cf/encoding.py b/satpy/cf/encoding.py
index 5c77b6d69f..eaf04ba48e 100644
--- a/satpy/cf/encoding.py
+++ b/satpy/cf/encoding.py
@@ -68,9 +68,12 @@ def _set_default_time_encoding(encoding, dataset):
             dtnp64 = dataset["time"].data
 
         default = CFDatetimeCoder().encode(xr.DataArray(dtnp64))
-        time_enc = {"units": default.attrs["units"], "calendar": default.attrs["calendar"]}
+        time_enc = {"units": default.attrs["units"],
+                    "dtype": "float64",
+                    "calendar": default.attrs["calendar"]}
         time_enc.update(encoding.get("time", {}))
         bounds_enc = {"units": time_enc["units"],
+                      "dtype": "float64",
                       "calendar": time_enc["calendar"],
                       "_FillValue": None}
         encoding["time"] = time_enc
diff --git a/satpy/tests/cf_tests/test_encoding.py b/satpy/tests/cf_tests/test_encoding.py
index 103736120d..3fecbefc59 100644
--- a/satpy/tests/cf_tests/test_encoding.py
+++ b/satpy/tests/cf_tests/test_encoding.py
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@ def test_with_time(self, fake_ds):
             "bar": {"chunksizes": (1, 1, 1)},
             "time": {"_FillValue": None,
                      "calendar": "proleptic_gregorian",
+                     "dtype": "float64",
                      "units": "days since 2009-07-01 12:15:00"},
             "time_bnds": {"_FillValue": None,
+                          "dtype": "float64",
                           "calendar": "proleptic_gregorian",
                           "units": "days since 2009-07-01 12:15:00"}
         }