diff --git a/app/models/todo.rb b/app/models/todo.rb
index 95669c03..5602fdc5 100644
--- a/app/models/todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/todo.rb
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
     state :active 
     state :project_hidden
     state :completed, :before_enter => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = Time.zone.now }, :before_exit => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = nil}
-    state :deferred,  :after_exit => Proc.new { |t| t[:show_from] = nil }
+    state :deferred,  :before_exit => Proc.new { |t| t[:show_from] = nil }
     state :pending
 
     event :defer do
diff --git a/test/controllers/todos_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/todos_controller_test.rb
index 78b0c56c..6b44df50 100644
--- a/test/controllers/todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -406,6 +406,10 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_equal context.id, todo.reload.context.id, 'context of todo should be changed'
   end
 
+  #######
+  # defer
+  ####### 
+
   def test_update_clearing_show_from_makes_todo_active
     t = Todo.find(1)
     t.show_from = "01/01/2030"
@@ -427,6 +431,31 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_not_nil t.show_from
   end
 
+  def test_find_and_activate_ready
+    login_as(:admin_user)
+
+    # given a todo in the tickler that should be activated
+    Timecop.travel(2.weeks.ago) do
+      create_todo(
+        description: "tickler", 
+        show_from: 1.week.from_now.
+          in_time_zone(users(:admin_user).prefs.time_zone).
+          strftime("#{users(:admin_user).prefs.date_format}"))
+    end
+
+    todos = Todo.where(description: "tickler").where('show_from < ?', Time.zone.now)
+    assert_equal 1, todos.count, "there should be one todo in tickler"
+    todo = todos.first
+
+    assert todo.deferred?, "todo should be in deferred state"
+
+    # index page calls find_and_activate_ready
+    get :index
+
+    todo.reload
+    assert todo.active?, "todo should have been activated"
+    assert todo.show_from.nil?, "show_from date should have been cleared"
+  end
 
   #######
   # feeds
@@ -954,7 +983,7 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
     put :create, _source_view: params[:_source_view], 
       context_name: params[:context_name], project_name: params[:project_name], tag_list: params[:tag_list],
-      todo: {notes: params[:notes], description: params[:description], due: params[:due]}
+      todo: {notes: params[:notes], description: params[:description], due: params[:due], show_from: params[:show_from]}
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/test/models/todo_test.rb b/test/models/todo_test.rb
index f05d012f..ed9bf57e 100644
--- a/test/models/todo_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/todo_test.rb
@@ -160,17 +160,23 @@ class TodoTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_activate_also_clears_show_from
-    # setup test case
-    t = @not_completed1
-    t.show_from = 1.week.from_now
-    t.save!
-    assert t.deferred?
-    t.reload
+    dates = [1.week.from_now, 1.week.ago]
 
-    # activate and check show_from
-    t.activate!
-    assert t.active?
-    assert t.show_from.nil?
+    dates.each do |show_from_date|
+      # setup test case
+      t = @not_completed1
+      Timecop.travel(show_from_date - 1.day) do
+        t.show_from = show_from_date
+        t.save!
+        assert t.deferred?
+        t.reload
+      end
+
+      # activate and check show_from
+      t.activate!
+      assert t.active?
+      assert t.show_from.nil?
+    end
   end
 
   def test_clearing_show_from_activates_todo