diff --git a/src/MCPClient/lib/clientScripts/store_file_modification_dates.py b/src/MCPClient/lib/clientScripts/store_file_modification_dates.py
index 581b44b2af..0dab5ad6d9 100755
--- a/src/MCPClient/lib/clientScripts/store_file_modification_dates.py
+++ b/src/MCPClient/lib/clientScripts/store_file_modification_dates.py
@@ -21,22 +21,20 @@
 import django
 
 django.setup()
-# archivematicaCommon
 from custom_handlers import get_script_logger
 from django.db import transaction
-
-# dashboard
+from django.utils.timezone import get_current_timezone
 from main import models
 
 logger = get_script_logger("archivematica.mcp.client.storeFileModificationDates")
 
 
-def get_modification_date(file_path):
+def get_modification_date(file_path, timezone):
     mod_time = os.path.getmtime(file_path)
-    return datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(int(mod_time))
+    return datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(int(mod_time), tz=timezone)
 
 
-def main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path):
+def main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path, timezone):
     transfer = models.Transfer.objects.get(uuid=transfer_uuid)
 
     files = models.File.objects.filter(transfer=transfer)
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ def main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path):
             file_path = file_path_relative_to_shared_directory.replace(
                 "%sharedPath%", shared_directory_path, 1
             )
-            transfer_file.modificationtime = get_modification_date(file_path)
+            transfer_file.modificationtime = get_modification_date(file_path, timezone)
             transfer_file.save()
             mods_stored += 1
 
@@ -65,10 +63,11 @@ def main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path):
 
 
 def call(jobs):
+    timezone = get_current_timezone()
     with transaction.atomic():
         for job in jobs:
             with job.JobContext(logger=logger):
                 transfer_uuid = job.args[1]
                 shared_directory_path = job.args[2]
-                main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path)
+                main(transfer_uuid, shared_directory_path, timezone)
                 job.set_status(0)
diff --git a/tests/MCPClient/test_store_file_modification.py b/tests/MCPClient/test_store_file_modification.py
index bb27e9cc3d..f6639e7f14 100644
--- a/tests/MCPClient/test_store_file_modification.py
+++ b/tests/MCPClient/test_store_file_modification.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 import store_file_modification_dates
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.test import override_settings
+from django.utils.timezone import get_current_timezone
 from main import models
 
 THIS_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ def tearDown(self):
         )
         shutil.rmtree(transfer_path)
 
+    @override_settings(TIME_ZONE="US/Eastern")
     def test_store_file_modification_dates(self):
         """Test store_file_modification_dates.
 
@@ -47,19 +50,22 @@ def test_store_file_modification_dates(self):
                 os.makedirs(dirname)
             with open(path, "wb") as f:
                 f.write(path.encode("utf8"))
-            os.utime(path, (1339485682, 1339485682))
+            os.utime(path, (1049597970, 1049597970))
 
         # Store file modification dates
-        store_file_modification_dates.main(self.transfer_uuid, self.temp_dir + "/")
+        store_file_modification_dates.main(
+            self.transfer_uuid, self.temp_dir + "/", get_current_timezone()
+        )
 
         # Assert files have expected modification times
+        expected_time = "2003-04-06 02:59:30+00:00"
         assert (
             str(
                 models.File.objects.get(
                     pk="47813453-6872-442b-9d65-6515be3c5aa1"
                 ).modificationtime
             )
-            == "2012-06-12 07:21:22+00:00"
+            == expected_time
         )
         assert (
             str(
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ def test_store_file_modification_dates(self):
                     pk="60e5c61b-14ef-4e92-89ec-9b9201e68adb"
                 ).modificationtime
             )
-            == "2012-06-12 07:21:22+00:00"
+            == expected_time
         )
         assert (
             str(
@@ -75,7 +81,7 @@ def test_store_file_modification_dates(self):
                     pk="791e07ea-ad44-4315-b55b-44ec771e95cf"
                 ).modificationtime
             )
-            == "2012-06-12 07:21:22+00:00"
+            == expected_time
         )
         assert (
             str(
@@ -83,5 +89,5 @@ def test_store_file_modification_dates(self):
                     pk="8a1f0b59-cf94-47ef-8078-647b77c8a147"
                 ).modificationtime
             )
-            == "2012-06-12 07:21:22+00:00"
+            == expected_time
         )