diff --git a/client/components/cards/cardDate.js b/client/components/cards/cardDate.js
index 468e7809b..e9f4c029e 100644
--- a/client/components/cards/cardDate.js
+++ b/client/components/cards/cardDate.js
@@ -3,13 +3,6 @@ import moment from 'moment/min/moment-with-locales';
 import { TAPi18n } from '/imports/i18n';
 import { DatePicker } from '/client/lib/datepicker';
 
-// Add this helper function at the top level
-const formatDate = (date, format) => {
-  if (!date) return '';
-  const normalizedDate = Utils.normalizeDigits(moment(date).format(format));
-  return normalizedDate;
-};
-
 // editCardReceivedDatePopup
 (class extends DatePicker {
   onCreated() {
@@ -173,10 +166,6 @@ class CardReceivedDate extends CardDate {
       'click .js-edit-date': Popup.open('editCardReceivedDate'),
     });
   }
-
-  showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
-  }
 }
 CardReceivedDate.register('cardReceivedDate');
 
@@ -212,10 +201,6 @@ class CardStartDate extends CardDate {
       'click .js-edit-date': Popup.open('editCardStartDate'),
     });
   }
-
-  showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
-  }
 }
 CardStartDate.register('cardStartDate');
 
@@ -252,10 +237,6 @@ class CardDueDate extends CardDate {
       'click .js-edit-date': Popup.open('editCardDueDate'),
     });
   }
-
-  showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
-  }
 }
 CardDueDate.register('cardDueDate');
 
@@ -287,10 +268,6 @@ class CardEndDate extends CardDate {
       'click .js-edit-date': Popup.open('editCardEndDate'),
     });
   }
-
-  showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
-  }
 }
 CardEndDate.register('cardEndDate');
 
@@ -340,31 +317,31 @@ CardCustomFieldDate.register('cardCustomFieldDate');
 
 (class extends CardReceivedDate {
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
+    return this.date.get().format('L');
   }
 }.register('minicardReceivedDate'));
 
 (class extends CardStartDate {
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
+    return this.date.get().format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
   }
 }.register('minicardStartDate'));
 
 (class extends CardDueDate {
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
+    return this.date.get().format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
   }
 }.register('minicardDueDate'));
 
 (class extends CardEndDate {
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
+    return this.date.get().format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm');
   }
 }.register('minicardEndDate'));
 
 (class extends CardCustomFieldDate {
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L');
+    return this.date.get().format('L');
   }
 }.register('minicardCustomFieldDate'));
 
@@ -381,7 +358,7 @@ class VoteEndDate extends CardDate {
     return classes;
   }
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L LT');
+    return this.date.get().format('L LT');
   }
   showTitle() {
     return `${TAPi18n.__('card-end-on')} ${this.date.get().format('LLLL')}`;
@@ -408,7 +385,7 @@ class PokerEndDate extends CardDate {
     return classes;
   }
   showDate() {
-    return formatDate(this.date.get(), 'L LT');
+    return this.date.get().format('l LT');
   }
   showTitle() {
     return `${TAPi18n.__('card-end-on')} ${this.date.get().format('LLLL')}`;
diff --git a/client/lib/datepicker.js b/client/lib/datepicker.js
index 59da73e46..84e4047f4 100644
--- a/client/lib/datepicker.js
+++ b/client/lib/datepicker.js
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 import { ReactiveCache } from '/imports/reactiveCache';
 import { TAPi18n } from '/imports/i18n';
 import moment from 'moment/min/moment-with-locales';
-import { Utils } from './utils';
 
-// Helper function to replace HH with H for 24 hours format
+// Helper function to replace HH with H for 24 hours format, because H allows also single-digit hours
 function adjustedTimeFormat() {
-  return moment.localeData().longDateFormat('LT');
+  return moment
+    .localeData()
+    .longDateFormat('LT');
 }
 
+//   .replace(/HH/i, 'H');
+
 export class DatePicker extends BlazeComponent {
   template() {
     return 'datepicker';
@@ -37,15 +40,21 @@ export class DatePicker extends BlazeComponent {
         language: TAPi18n.getLanguage(),
         weekStart: this.startDayOfWeek(),
         calendarWeeks: true,
-        beforeParse: (value) => Utils.normalizeDigits(value),
       })
       .on(
         'changeDate',
         function(evt) {
-          const normalizedDate = moment(evt.date).format('L');
-          this.find('#date').value = normalizedDate;
+          this.find('#date').value = moment(evt.date).format('L');
           this.error.set('');
-          this._handleTimeInput(evt);
+          const timeInput = this.find('#time');
+          timeInput.focus();
+          if (!timeInput.value && this.defaultTime) {
+            const currentHour = evt.date.getHours();
+            const defaultMoment = moment(
+              currentHour > 0 ? evt.date : this.defaultTime,
+            ); // default to 8:00 am local time
+            timeInput.value = defaultMoment.format('LT');
+          }
         }.bind(this),
       );
 
@@ -54,18 +63,6 @@ export class DatePicker extends BlazeComponent {
     }
   }
 
-  _handleTimeInput(evt) {
-    const timeInput = this.find('#time');
-    timeInput.focus();
-    if (!timeInput.value && this.defaultTime) {
-      const currentHour = evt.date.getHours();
-      const defaultMoment = moment(
-        currentHour > 0 ? evt.date : this.defaultTime,
-      );
-      timeInput.value = defaultMoment.format('LT');
-    }
-  }
-
   showDate() {
     if (this.date.get().isValid()) return this.date.get().format('L');
     return '';
@@ -82,68 +79,67 @@ export class DatePicker extends BlazeComponent {
   }
 
   events() {
-    return [{
-      'keyup .js-date-field'() {
-        const rawValue = this.find('#date').value;
-        const normalizedValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(rawValue);
-        const dateMoment = moment(normalizedValue, 'L', true);
+    return [
+      {
+        'keyup .js-date-field'() {
+          // parse for localized date format in strict mode
+         const normalizedValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(this.find('#date').value);
+          const dateMoment = moment(normalizedValue, 'L', true);
+          if (dateMoment.isValid()) {
+            this.error.set('');
+            this.$('.js-datepicker').datepicker('update', dateMoment.toDate());
+          }
+        },
+        'keyup .js-time-field'() {
+          // parse for localized time format in strict mode
+          const normalizedValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(this.find('#time').value);
+          const dateMoment = moment(
+           normalizedValue,
+           adjustedTimeFormat(),
+            true,
+          );
+          if (dateMoment.isValid()) {
+            this.error.set('');
+          }
+        },
+        'submit .edit-date'(evt) {
+          evt.preventDefault();
 
-        if (dateMoment.isValid()) {
-          this.error.set('');
-          this.$('.js-datepicker').datepicker('update', dateMoment.toDate());
-        }
+          // if no time was given, init with 12:00
+          const timeValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(evt.target.time.value);
+          const time =
+           timeValue ||
+           moment(new Date().setHours(12, 0, 0)).format('LT');
+          const newTime = moment(time, adjustedTimeFormat(), true);
+          const dateValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(evt.target.date.value);
+          const newDate = moment(dateValue, 'L', true);
+          const dateString = `${dateValue} ${time}`;
+          const newCompleteDate = moment(
+            dateString,
+            `L ${adjustedTimeFormat()}`,
+            true,
+          );
+          if (!newTime.isValid()) {
+            this.error.set('invalid-time');
+            evt.target.time.focus();
+          }
+          if (!newDate.isValid()) {
+            this.error.set('invalid-date');
+            evt.target.date.focus();
+          }
+          if (newCompleteDate.isValid()) {
+            this._storeDate(newCompleteDate.toDate());
+            Popup.back();
+          } else if (!this.error) {
+            this.error.set('invalid');
+          }
+        },
+        'click .js-delete-date'(evt) {
+          evt.preventDefault();
+          this._deleteDate();
+          Popup.back();
+        },
       },
-
-      'keyup .js-time-field'() {
-        const rawValue = this.find('#time').value;
-        const normalizedValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(rawValue);
-        const timeMoment = moment(normalizedValue, adjustedTimeFormat(), true);
-
-        if (timeMoment.isValid()) {
-          this.error.set('');
-        }
-      },
-
-      'submit .edit-date'(evt) {
-        evt.preventDefault();
-
-        const dateValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(evt.target.date.value);
-        const timeValue = Utils.normalizeDigits(evt.target.time.value) ||
-                         moment(new Date().setHours(12, 0, 0)).format('LT');
-
-        const dateString = `${dateValue} ${timeValue}`;
-        const format = `L ${adjustedTimeFormat()}`;
-        const newDate = moment(dateString, format, true);
-
-        if (!newDate.isValid()) {
-          this._handleDateTimeError(evt, dateValue, timeValue);
-          return;
-        }
-
-        this._storeDate(newDate.toDate());
-        Popup.back();
-      },
-
-      'click .js-delete-date'(evt) {
-        evt.preventDefault();
-        this._deleteDate();
-        Popup.back();
-      }
-    }];
-  }
-
-  _handleDateTimeError(evt, dateValue, timeValue) {
-    const dateMoment = moment(dateValue, 'L', true);
-    const timeMoment = moment(timeValue, adjustedTimeFormat(), true);
-
-    if (!timeMoment.isValid()) {
-      this.error.set('invalid-time');
-      evt.target.time.focus();
-    } else if (!dateMoment.isValid()) {
-      this.error.set('invalid-date');
-      evt.target.date.focus();
-    } else {
-      this.error.set('invalid');
-    }
+    ];
   }
 }
diff --git a/client/lib/utils.js b/client/lib/utils.js
index a2600ad4f..c2cd8886d 100644
--- a/client/lib/utils.js
+++ b/client/lib/utils.js
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 import { ReactiveCache } from '/imports/reactiveCache';
-import { Session } from 'meteor/session';
-import { FlowRouter } from 'meteor/kadira:flow-router';
-import { Tracker } from 'meteor/tracker';
-import { $ } from 'meteor/jquery';
-import { Meteor } from 'meteor/meteor';
 
-// Initialize global Utils first
-if (typeof window.Utils === 'undefined') {
-  window.Utils = {};
-}
-
-// Create Utils object
-const Utils = {
+Utils = {
   setBackgroundImage(url) {
     const currentBoard = Utils.getCurrentBoard();
     if (currentBoard.backgroundImageURL !== undefined) {
@@ -26,19 +15,12 @@ const Utils = {
   // This helps with date parsing in non-English languages
   normalizeDigits(str) {
     if (!str) return str;
-    // Convert Persian and Arabic numbers to English
-    const persianNumbers = ['۰', '۱', '۲', '۳', '۴', '۵', '۶', '۷', '۸', '۹'];
-    const arabicNumbers  = ['٠', '١', '٢', '٣', '٤', '٥', '٦', '٧', '٨', '٩'];
-
-    return str.split('')
-      .map(c => {
-        const pIndex = persianNumbers.indexOf(c);
-        const aIndex = arabicNumbers.indexOf(c);
-        if (pIndex >= 0) return pIndex.toString();
-        if (aIndex >= 0) return aIndex.toString();
-        return c;
-      })
-      .join('');
+    const persian = [/۰/g, /۱/g, /۲/g, /۳/g, /۴/g, /۵/g, /۶/g, /۷/g, /۸/g, /۹/g];
+    const arabic  = [/٠/g, /١/g, /٢/g, /٣/g, /٤/g, /٥/g, /٦/g, /٧/g, /٨/g, /٩/g];
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      str = str.replace(persian[i], i).replace(arabic[i], i);
+    }
+    return str;
   },
   /** returns the current board id
    * <li> returns the current board id or the board id of the popup card if set
@@ -609,12 +591,6 @@ const Utils = {
   },
 };
 
-// Update global Utils with all methods
-Object.assign(window.Utils, Utils);
-
-// Export for ES modules
-export { Utils };
-
 // A simple tracker dependency that we invalidate every time the window is
 // resized. This is used to reactively re-calculate the popup position in case
 // of a window resize. This is the equivalent of a "Signal" in some other