diff --git a/db/migrate/042_change_dates_to_datetimes.rb b/db/migrate/042_change_dates_to_datetimes.rb
index 1ea940b0..d534c642 100644
--- a/db/migrate/042_change_dates_to_datetimes.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/042_change_dates_to_datetimes.rb
@@ -6,32 +6,28 @@ class ChangeDatesToDatetimes < ActiveRecord::Migration
     change_column :recurring_todos, :end_date, :datetime
 
     User.all(:include => [:todos, :recurring_todos]).each do |user|
-      if user.prefs
-        user.todos.each do |todo|
-          todo.update_attribute(:show_from, user.at_midnight(todo.show_from)) unless todo.show_from.nil?
-          todo.update_attribute(:due, user.at_midnight(todo.due)) unless todo.due.nil?
-        end
-
-        user.recurring_todos.each do |todo|
-          todo.update_attribute(:start_from, user.at_midnight(todo.start_from)) unless todo.start_from.nil?
-          todo.update_attribute(:end_date, user.at_midnight(todo.end_date)) unless todo.end_date.nil?
-        end
-      else # weird...no preferences for this user
-        user.todos.each do |todo|
-          todo.update_attribute(:show_from, at_midnight(todo.show_from)) unless todo.show_from.nil?
-          todo.update_attribute(:due, at_midnight(todo.due)) unless todo.due.nil?
-        end
-
-        user.recurring_todos.each do |todo|
-          todo.update_attribute(:start_from, at_midnight(todo.start_from)) unless todo.start_from.nil?
-          todo.update_attribute(:end_date, at_midnight(todo.end_date)) unless todo.end_date.nil?
+      if !user.prefs ## ugly hack for strange edge-case of not having preferences object
+        user.instance_eval do
+          def at_midnight(date)
+            return Time.zone.local(date.year, date.month, date.day, 0, 0, 0)
+          end
+          def time
+            Time.zone.now
+          end
         end
       end
-    end
-  end
+      user.todos.each do |todo|
+        todo[:show_from] = user.at_midnight(todo.show_from) unless todo.show_from.nil?
+        todo[:due] = user.at_midnight(todo.due) unless todo.due.nil?
+        todo.save_with_validation(false)
+      end
 
-  def at_midnight(date)
-    return Time.zone.local(date.year, date.month, date.day, 0, 0, 0)
+      user.recurring_todos.each do |todo|
+        todo[:start_from] = user.at_midnight(todo.start_from) unless todo.start_from.nil?
+        todo[:end_date] = user.at_midnight(todo.end_date) unless todo.end_date.nil?
+        todo.save_with_validation(false)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   def self.down