diff --git a/app/models/preference.rb b/app/models/preference.rb
index 8d6d78bc..e0150cd8 100644
--- a/app/models/preference.rb
+++ b/app/models/preference.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@ class Preference < ActiveRecord::Base
       raise ArgumentError.new("Bad argument type:#{s.class}")
     end
 
-    DateUtils::midnight_for(self, date)
+    UserTime.new(user).midnight(date)
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/todo.rb b/app/models/todo.rb
index 46faee58..5aad233a 100644
--- a/app/models/todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/todo.rb
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
       activate
     else
       # parse Date objects into the proper timezone
-      date = DateUtils.midnight_for(user.prefs, date) if (date.is_a? Date)
+      date = UserTime.new(user).midnight(date) if (date.is_a? Date)
 
       # show_from needs to be set before state_change because of "bug" in aasm.
       # If show_from is not set, the todo will not validate and thus aasm will not save
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 8b3e1478..eb7339e5 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def date
-    time.midnight
+    UserTime.new(self).midnight(Time.now)
   end
 
   def generate_token
diff --git a/lib/date_utils.rb b/lib/date_utils.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index e2af8609..00000000
--- a/lib/date_utils.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-class DateUtils
-  def self.midnight_for(prefs, date)
-    ActiveSupport::TimeZone[prefs.time_zone].local(date.year, date.month, date.day, 0, 0, 0)
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/user_time.rb b/lib/user_time.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..847471a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/user_time.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+require 'active_support/values/time_zone'
+
+class UserTime
+  attr_reader :user, :timezone
+
+  def initialize(user)
+    @user = user
+    @timezone = ActiveSupport::TimeZone[user.prefs.time_zone]
+  end
+
+  def midnight(date)
+    timezone.local(date.year, date.month, date.day, 0, 0, 0)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/controllers/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
index e0fad920..d9e91395 100644
--- a/test/controllers/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class RecurringTodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     # due date should be the target_date
     user = users(:admin_user)
     target_date = Date.new(target_date.year, target_date.month, target_date.day)
-    assert_equal DateUtils.midnight_for(user.prefs, target_date), new_todo.due
+    assert_equal UserTime.new(user).midnight(target_date), new_todo.due
 
     # show_from should be nil since now+4.days-10.days is in the past
     assert_equal nil, new_todo.show_from