diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index 72f0eb7f76..ce865511c6 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -489,6 +489,10 @@ class TestUtil(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(unified_timestamp('Wednesday 31 December 1969 18:01:26 MDT'), 86)
         self.assertEqual(unified_timestamp('12/31/1969 20:01:18 EDT', False), 78)
 
+        self.assertEqual(unified_timestamp('2026-01-01 00:00:00', tz_offset=0), 1767225600)
+        self.assertEqual(unified_timestamp('2026-01-01 00:00:00', tz_offset=8), 1767196800)
+        self.assertEqual(unified_timestamp('2026-01-01 00:00:00 +0800', tz_offset=-5), 1767196800)
+
     def test_determine_ext(self):
         self.assertEqual(determine_ext('http://example.com/foo/bar.mp4/?download'), 'mp4')
         self.assertEqual(determine_ext('http://example.com/foo/bar/?download', None), None)
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
index b0ca950248..edbbf6c650 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
@@ -1262,7 +1262,8 @@ def unified_strdate(date_str, day_first=True):
         return str(upload_date)
 
 
-def unified_timestamp(date_str, day_first=True):
+@partial_application
+def unified_timestamp(date_str, day_first=True, tz_offset=0):
     if not isinstance(date_str, str):
         return None
 
@@ -1270,7 +1271,8 @@ def unified_timestamp(date_str, day_first=True):
         r'(?i)[,|]|(mon|tues?|wed(nes)?|thu(rs)?|fri|sat(ur)?|sun)(day)?', '', date_str))
 
     pm_delta = 12 if re.search(r'(?i)PM', date_str) else 0
-    timezone, date_str = extract_timezone(date_str)
+    timezone, date_str = extract_timezone(
+        date_str, default=dt.timedelta(hours=tz_offset) if tz_offset else None)
 
     # Remove AM/PM + timezone
     date_str = re.sub(r'(?i)\s*(?:AM|PM)(?:\s+[A-Z]+)?', '', date_str)