diff --git a/xmpsdk/include/TXMPUtils.hpp b/xmpsdk/include/TXMPUtils.hpp
index c3143b83..782ce73a 100644
--- a/xmpsdk/include/TXMPUtils.hpp
+++ b/xmpsdk/include/TXMPUtils.hpp
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ public:
     ///
     /// \note As compatibility "tactics" (OK, hacks), a missing date portion or missing TZD are
     /// tolerated. A missing date value may begin with "Thh:" or "hh:"; the year, month, and day are
-    /// all set to zero in the XMP_DateTime value. A missing TZD is assumed to be UTC.
+    /// all set to zero in the XMP_DateTime value. If TZD is missing, assume the time is in local time.
     ///
     /// \param strValue The ISO 8601 string representation of the date/time.
     ///
diff --git a/xmpsdk/src/XMPUtils.cpp b/xmpsdk/src/XMPUtils.cpp
index 1d8c1d81..a72f2dd2 100644
--- a/xmpsdk/src/XMPUtils.cpp
+++ b/xmpsdk/src/XMPUtils.cpp
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ XMPUtils::ConvertToFloat ( XMP_StringPtr strValue )
 // Note that ISO 8601 does not seem to allow years less than 1000 or greater than 9999. We allow
 // any year, even negative ones. The year is formatted as "%.4d".
 
-// ! Tolerate missing TZD, assume is UTC. Photoshop 8 writes dates like this for exif:GPSTimeStamp.
+// ! Tolerate missing TZD, assume the time is in local time
 // ! Tolerate missing date portion, in case someone foolishly writes a time-only value that way.
 
 // *** Put the ISO format comments in the header documentation.
@@ -1396,6 +1396,10 @@ XMPUtils::ConvertToDate ( XMP_StringPtr	 strValue,
 		if ( temp > 59 ) XMP_Throw ( "Time zone minute is out of range", kXMPErr_BadParam );
 		binValue->tzMinute = temp;
 
+	} else {
+
+		XMPUtils::SetTimeZone( binValue );
+
 	}
 
 	if ( strValue[pos] != 0 ) XMP_Throw ( "Invalid date string, extra chars at end", kXMPErr_BadParam );