diff --git a/lnbits/core/crud.py b/lnbits/core/crud.py
index 7c9ca0f7e..378873207 100644
--- a/lnbits/core/crud.py
+++ b/lnbits/core/crud.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from uuid import UUID, uuid4
 
 import shortuuid
-from bolt11.decode import decode
 
 from lnbits.core.db import db
 from lnbits.core.models import WalletType
@@ -535,6 +534,7 @@ async def create_payment(
     memo: str,
     fee: int = 0,
     preimage: Optional[str] = None,
+    expiry: Optional[datetime.datetime] = None,
     pending: bool = True,
     extra: Optional[Dict] = None,
     webhook: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -545,14 +545,6 @@ async def create_payment(
     previous_payment = await get_standalone_payment(checking_id, conn=conn)
     assert previous_payment is None, "Payment already exists"
 
-    invoice = decode(payment_request)
-
-    if invoice.expiry:
-        expiration_date = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(invoice.date + invoice.expiry)
-    else:
-        # assume maximum bolt11 expiry of 31 days to be on the safe side
-        expiration_date = datetime.datetime.now() + datetime.timedelta(days=31)
-
     await (conn or db).execute(
         """
         INSERT INTO apipayments
@@ -576,7 +568,7 @@ async def create_payment(
                 else None
             ),
             webhook,
-            db.datetime_to_timestamp(expiration_date),
+            db.datetime_to_timestamp(expiry) if expiry else None,
         ),
     )
 
diff --git a/lnbits/core/services.py b/lnbits/core/services.py
index 195fa26d6..a944a42c7 100644
--- a/lnbits/core/services.py
+++ b/lnbits/core/services.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import asyncio
+import datetime
 import json
 from io import BytesIO
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -6,6 +7,8 @@ from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, TypedDict
 from urllib.parse import parse_qs, urlparse
 
 import httpx
+from bolt11 import Bolt11
+from bolt11 import decode as bolt11_decode
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
 from fastapi import Depends, WebSocket
 from lnurl import LnurlErrorResponse
@@ -14,7 +17,6 @@ from loguru import logger
 from py_vapid import Vapid
 from py_vapid.utils import b64urlencode
 
-from lnbits import bolt11
 from lnbits.core.db import db
 from lnbits.db import Connection
 from lnbits.decorators import WalletTypeInfo, require_admin_key
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ async def create_invoice(
     if not ok or not payment_request or not checking_id:
         raise InvoiceFailure(error_message or "unexpected backend error.")
 
-    invoice = bolt11.decode(payment_request)
+    invoice = bolt11_decode(payment_request)
 
     amount_msat = 1000 * amount_sat
     await create_payment(
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ async def create_invoice(
         payment_request=payment_request,
         payment_hash=invoice.payment_hash,
         amount=amount_msat,
+        expiry=get_bolt11_expiry(invoice),
         memo=memo,
         extra=extra,
         webhook=webhook,
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ async def pay_invoice(
     If the payment is still in flight, we hope that some other process
     will regularly check for the payment.
     """
-    invoice = bolt11.decode(payment_request)
+    invoice = bolt11_decode(payment_request)
 
     if not invoice.amount_msat or not invoice.amount_msat > 0:
         raise ValueError("Amountless invoices not supported.")
@@ -203,6 +206,7 @@ async def pay_invoice(
             payment_hash: str
             amount: int
             memo: str
+            expiry: Optional[datetime.datetime]
             extra: Optional[Dict]
 
         payment_kwargs: PaymentKwargs = PaymentKwargs(
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@ async def pay_invoice(
             payment_request=payment_request,
             payment_hash=invoice.payment_hash,
             amount=-invoice.amount_msat,
+            expiry=get_bolt11_expiry(invoice),
             memo=description or invoice.description or "",
             extra=extra,
         )
@@ -650,3 +655,11 @@ async def get_balance_delta() -> Tuple[int, int, int]:
     if error_message:
         raise Exception(error_message)
     return node_balance - total_balance, node_balance, total_balance
+
+
+def get_bolt11_expiry(invoice: Bolt11) -> datetime.datetime:
+    if invoice.expiry:
+        return datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(invoice.date + invoice.expiry)
+    else:
+        # assume maximum bolt11 expiry of 31 days to be on the safe side
+        return datetime.datetime.now() + datetime.timedelta(days=31)