The short-circuit current density of inverted organic solar cells comprising a solution-processed titania electron transport layer increases with continuous illumination in air and saturates after 10 min. On extended exposure (>2 days), the open-circuit voltage of the devices increases also. The improvement in device characteristics over short time scales is attributed to the filling of shallow electron traps in titania. With an increase in photoconductivity of titania, the short-circuit current increases accordingly. The increase in open-circuit voltage on extended exposure to air is attributed to an increase in the electrostatic field across the diodes when polythiophene is doped by oxygen. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.