diff --git a/sqlglot/generators/mysql.py b/sqlglot/generators/mysql.py
index 005f129420..69064f7256 100644
--- a/sqlglot/generators/mysql.py
+++ b/sqlglot/generators/mysql.py
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ class MySQLGenerator(generator.Generator):
         ),
         exp.TimestampSub: date_add_interval_sql("DATE", "SUB"),
         exp.TimeStrToUnix: rename_func("UNIX_TIMESTAMP"),
+        exp.TimeToUnix: rename_func("UNIX_TIMESTAMP"),
         exp.TimeStrToTime: lambda self, e: timestrtotime_sql(
             self,
             e,
diff --git a/sqlglot/parsers/mysql.py b/sqlglot/parsers/mysql.py
index 9e12db7478..8662abb925 100644
--- a/sqlglot/parsers/mysql.py
+++ b/sqlglot/parsers/mysql.py
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ def _has_time_specifier(date_format: str) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+def _build_unix_timestamp(args: list) -> exp.TimeToUnix:
+    # UNIX_TIMESTAMP(): with no arg, convert the current timestamp to epoch seconds
+    if not args:
+        return exp.TimeToUnix(this=exp.CurrentTimestamp())
+
+    # UNIX_TIMESTAMP(ts): the arg may be a string, so cast it to a timestamp first
+    # and then convert to epoch seconds
+    return exp.TimeToUnix(this=exp.TsOrDsToTimestamp(this=args[0]))
+
+
 def _str_to_date(args: list) -> exp.StrToDate | exp.StrToTime:
     mysql_date_format = seq_get(args, 1)
     date_format = Dialect["mysql"].format_time(mysql_date_format)
@@ -143,6 +153,7 @@ class MySQLParser(parser.Parser):
             )
             + 1
         ),
+        "UNIX_TIMESTAMP": _build_unix_timestamp,
         "VERSION": exp.CurrentVersion.from_arg_list,
         "WEEK": lambda args: exp.Week(
             this=exp.TsOrDsToDate(this=seq_get(args, 0)), mode=seq_get(args, 1)
diff --git a/tests/dialects/test_mysql.py b/tests/dialects/test_mysql.py
index b1eb4f455a..c0c766cd92 100644
--- a/tests/dialects/test_mysql.py
+++ b/tests/dialects/test_mysql.py
@@ -488,6 +488,27 @@ def test_canonical_functions(self):
                 "tsql": "CHAR(10)",
             },
         )
+        self.validate_all(
+            "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(ts)",
+            write={
+                "mysql": "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(CAST(ts AS DATETIME))",
+                "duckdb": "SELECT EPOCH(CAST(ts AS TIMESTAMP))",
+            },
+        )
+        self.validate_all(
+            "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP('2021-01-01 00:00:00')",
+            write={
+                "mysql": "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(CAST('2021-01-01 00:00:00' AS DATETIME))",
+                "duckdb": "SELECT EPOCH(CAST('2021-01-01 00:00:00' AS TIMESTAMP))",
+            },
+        )
+        self.validate_all(
+            "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP()",
+            write={
+                "mysql": "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP())",
+                "duckdb": "SELECT EPOCH(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)",
+            },
+        )
         self.validate_identity("CREATE TABLE t (foo VARBINARY(5))")
         self.validate_all(
             "CREATE TABLE t (foo BLOB)",