diff --git a/pkg/base1/test-timeformat.ts b/pkg/base1/test-timeformat.ts
index 4cca97dd02e..ba926142271 100644
--- a/pkg/base1/test-timeformat.ts
+++ b/pkg/base1/test-timeformat.ts
@@ -124,21 +124,24 @@ QUnit.test("firstDayOfWeek", assert => {
     assert.equal(timeformat.firstDayOfWeek(), 1);
 });
 
-// FIXME: This test is currently time zone dependent; parseShortDate() always
-// interprets its argument as midnight UTC instead of local time; so it's even
-// off by a day for any TZ east of UTC.
-QUnit.skip("parsing", assert => {
+QUnit.test("parsing", assert => {
     cockpit.language = "en";
     const en = timeformat.parseShortDate("1/20/2024");
-    assert.equal(en.toISOString(), "2024-01-20T00:00:00.000Z");
+    assert.equal(en.getDate(), 20);
+    assert.equal(en.getMonth(), 0); // yes, starting from 0
+    assert.equal(en.getFullYear(), "2024");
 
     cockpit.language = "en_GB";
     const engb = timeformat.parseShortDate("20/01/2024");
-    assert.equal(engb.toISOString(), "2024-01-20T00:00:00.000Z");
+    assert.equal(engb.getDate(), 20);
+    assert.equal(engb.getMonth(), 0); // yes, starting from 0
+    assert.equal(engb.getFullYear(), "2024");
 
     cockpit.language = "de";
     const de = timeformat.parseShortDate("20.01.2024");
-    assert.equal(de.toISOString(), "2024-01-20T00:00:00.000Z");
+    assert.equal(de.getDate(), 20);
+    assert.equal(de.getMonth(), 0); // yes, starting from 0
+    assert.equal(de.getFullYear(), "2024");
 });
 
 QUnit.start();
diff --git a/pkg/lib/timeformat.ts b/pkg/lib/timeformat.ts
index b644afb560d..bdae84be8cf 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/timeformat.ts
+++ b/pkg/lib/timeformat.ts
@@ -50,12 +50,10 @@ export const distanceToNow = (t: Time, addSuffix?: boolean): string => formatDis
 
 // Parse a string localized date like 30.06.21 to a Date Object
 export function parseShortDate(dateStr: string): Date {
-    const parsed = parse(dateStr, dateShortFormat(), new Date());
-
-    // Strip time which may cause bugs in calendar
-    const time = parsed.getTime();
-    const timePortion = time % (3600 * 1000 * 24);
-    return new Date(time - timePortion);
+    // strip off time (i.e. set to midnight), to avoid confusing calendar widgets
+    const now = new Date();
+    const today = new Date(now.getFullYear(), now.getMonth(), now.getDate());
+    return parse(dateStr, dateShortFormat(), today);
 }
 
 /***