diff --git a/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.js b/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.js
index c0ffdd340..555c8b11e 100644
--- a/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.js
+++ b/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.js
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@ import { useConfig } from '@dhis2/app-runtime'
 import { CalendarInput } from '@dhis2/ui'
 import React from 'react'
 import { useField } from 'react-final-form'
-import { useSetDataValueMutation, useUserInfo } from '../../shared/index.js'
+import {
+    useSetDataValueMutation,
+    useUserInfo,
+    convertFromIso8601ToString,
+    convertToIso8601ToString,
+} from '../../shared/index.js'
 import styles from './inputs.module.css'
 import { InputPropTypes } from './utils.js'
 
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@ export const DateInput = ({
                     form.mutators.setFieldData(fieldname, {
                         lastSyncedValue: value,
                     })
+                    input.onBlur()
                 },
             }
         )
@@ -55,7 +61,13 @@ export const DateInput = ({
     }
 
     return (
-        <div onClick={onFocus}>
+        <div
+            onClick={() => {
+                onFocus()
+                input.onFocus()
+            }}
+            className={styles.dateInputContainer}
+        >
             <CalendarInput
                 {...input}
                 className={styles.dateInput}
@@ -63,11 +75,21 @@ export const DateInput = ({
                 onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
                 disabled={disabled}
                 readOnly={locked}
-                date={input.value}
+                date={
+                    input?.value
+                        ? convertFromIso8601ToString(input.value, calendar)
+                        : ''
+                }
                 calendar={calendar}
                 onDateSelect={(date) => {
-                    input.onChange(date ? date?.calendarDateString : '')
-                    handleChange(date ? date?.calendarDateString : '')
+                    const selectedDate = date?.calendarDateString
+                        ? convertToIso8601ToString(
+                              date?.calendarDateString,
+                              calendar
+                          )
+                        : ''
+                    input.onChange(selectedDate)
+                    handleChange(selectedDate)
                 }}
                 locale={keyUiLocale}
                 clearable
diff --git a/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.test.js b/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.test.js
index dc0589dcb..715f0372b 100644
--- a/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.test.js
+++ b/src/data-workspace/inputs/date-input.test.js
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { useConfig } from '@dhis2/app-runtime'
+import { ReactFinalForm } from '@dhis2/ui'
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
 import React from 'react'
 import { useSetDataValueMutation, useUserInfo } from '../../shared/index.js'
 import { render } from '../../test-utils/index.js'
-import { FinalFormWrapper } from '../final-form-wrapper.js'
 import { DateInput } from './date-input.js'
 
 jest.mock('../../shared/use-user-info/use-user-info.js', () => ({
@@ -22,12 +23,33 @@ jest.mock('@dhis2/app-runtime', () => {
     }
 })
 
+const DE = 'rkAZZFGFEQ7'
+const COC = 'HllvX50cXC0'
+
+const { Form } = ReactFinalForm
+
+const FormWrapper = ({ initialValues, children }) => (
+    <Form
+        onSubmit={() => {}}
+        initialValues={initialValues}
+        subscriptions={{}}
+        keepDirtyOnReinitialize
+    >
+        {() => children}
+    </Form>
+)
+
+FormWrapper.propTypes = {
+    children: PropTypes.node,
+    initialValues: PropTypes.object,
+}
+
 describe('date input field', () => {
     const props = {
-        cocId: 'HllvX50cXC0',
-        deId: 'rkAZZFGFEQ7',
+        cocId: COC,
+        deId: DE,
         disabled: undefined,
-        fieldname: 'rkAZZFGFEQ7.HllvX50cXC0',
+        fieldname: `${DE}.${COC}`,
         form: {},
         locked: false,
         onFocus: jest.fn(),
@@ -65,13 +87,9 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         })
 
         const { getByText, getByRole, getByTestId, queryByTestId } = render(
-            <FinalFormWrapper
-                onSubmit={() => jest.fn()}
-                initialValues={{}}
-                keepDirtyOnReinitialize
-            >
+            <FormWrapper initialValues={{}}>
                 <DateInput {...props} />
-            </FinalFormWrapper>
+            </FormWrapper>
         )
         const calendarInputLabel = getByText('Pick a date')
         const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
@@ -114,13 +132,9 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         })
 
         const { getByText, getByRole, getByTestId, getByLabelText } = render(
-            <FinalFormWrapper
-                onSubmit={() => jest.fn()}
-                initialValues={{}}
-                keepDirtyOnReinitialize
-            >
+            <FormWrapper initialValues={{}}>
                 <DateInput {...props} />
-            </FinalFormWrapper>
+            </FormWrapper>
         )
 
         const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
@@ -161,19 +175,30 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         expect(mutate.mock.calls[1][0]).toHaveProperty('value', '2024-07-18')
     })
 
+    it('populates the persisted date on load', async () => {
+        useConfig.mockReturnValue({
+            systemInfo: { calendar: 'gregorian' },
+        })
+
+        const { getByRole } = render(
+            <FormWrapper initialValues={{ [DE]: { [COC]: '2021-04-22' } }}>
+                <DateInput {...props} />
+            </FormWrapper>
+        )
+
+        const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
+        expect(calendarInput.value).toBe('2021-04-22')
+    })
+
     it('renders system set calendar, i.e. nepali', async () => {
         useConfig.mockReturnValue({
             systemInfo: { calendar: 'nepali' },
         })
 
         const { getByText, getByRole } = render(
-            <FinalFormWrapper
-                onSubmit={() => jest.fn()}
-                initialValues={{}}
-                keepDirtyOnReinitialize
-            >
+            <FormWrapper initialValues={{}}>
                 <DateInput {...props} />
-            </FinalFormWrapper>
+            </FormWrapper>
         )
 
         const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
@@ -187,7 +212,27 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         expect(calendarInput.value).toBe('2081-04-10')
         // check that mutate function was called
         expect(mutate.mock.calls).toHaveLength(1)
-        expect(mutate.mock.calls[0][0]).toHaveProperty('value', '2081-04-10')
+        expect(mutate.mock.calls[0][0]).toHaveProperty('value', '2024-07-25')
+    })
+
+    it('populates the nepali equivalent of the persisted ISO date', async () => {
+        jest.setSystemTime(new Date('2024-07-25T09:05:00.000Z'))
+
+        useConfig.mockReturnValue({
+            systemInfo: { calendar: 'nepali' },
+        })
+
+        // 2021-04-22 ISO = 2078-01-09 nepali
+        const { getByRole } = render(
+            <FormWrapper
+                initialValues={{ [DE]: { [COC]: '2021-04-22T13:17' } }}
+            >
+                <DateInput {...props} />
+            </FormWrapper>
+        )
+
+        const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
+        expect(calendarInput.value).toBe('2078-01-09')
     })
 
     it('renders system set calendar, i.e. ethiopian', async () => {
@@ -196,13 +241,9 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         })
 
         const { getByText, getByRole } = render(
-            <FinalFormWrapper
-                onSubmit={() => jest.fn()}
-                initialValues={{}}
-                keepDirtyOnReinitialize
-            >
+            <FormWrapper initialValues={{}}>
                 <DateInput {...props} />
-            </FinalFormWrapper>
+            </FormWrapper>
         )
 
         const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
@@ -216,6 +257,26 @@ describe('date input field', () => {
         expect(calendarInput.value).toBe('2016-11-18')
         // check that mutate function was called
         expect(mutate.mock.calls).toHaveLength(1)
-        expect(mutate.mock.calls[0][0]).toHaveProperty('value', '2016-11-18')
+        expect(mutate.mock.calls[0][0]).toHaveProperty('value', '2024-07-25')
+    })
+
+    it('populates the ethiopian equivalent of the persisted ISO date', async () => {
+        jest.setSystemTime(new Date('2024-07-25T09:05:00.000Z'))
+
+        useConfig.mockReturnValue({
+            systemInfo: { calendar: 'ethiopian' },
+        })
+
+        // 2021-04-22 ISO = 2013-08-14 ethiopian
+        const { getByRole } = render(
+            <FormWrapper
+                initialValues={{ [DE]: { [COC]: '2021-04-22T13:17' } }}
+            >
+                <DateInput {...props} />
+            </FormWrapper>
+        )
+
+        const calendarInput = getByRole('textbox')
+        expect(calendarInput.value).toBe('2013-08-14')
     })
 })
diff --git a/src/data-workspace/inputs/datetime-input.test.js b/src/data-workspace/inputs/datetime-input.test.js
index 0ca7b3b19..da7f7aeaf 100644
--- a/src/data-workspace/inputs/datetime-input.test.js
+++ b/src/data-workspace/inputs/datetime-input.test.js
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ FormWrapper.propTypes = {
 
 describe('date input field', () => {
     const props = {
-        cocId: DE,
-        deId: COC,
+        cocId: COC,
+        deId: DE,
         disabled: undefined,
         fieldname: `${DE}.${COC}`,
         form: {},
diff --git a/src/data-workspace/inputs/inputs.module.css b/src/data-workspace/inputs/inputs.module.css
index 93309d8c9..055f4b172 100644
--- a/src/data-workspace/inputs/inputs.module.css
+++ b/src/data-workspace/inputs/inputs.module.css
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@
     border: none;
 }
 
-.dateTimeInput {
-    margin-inline: var(--spacers-dp4);
+.dateInputContainer {
+    padding: var(--spacers-dp8);
 }
 
 .dateTimeInput {
-    padding-block: var(--spacers-dp4);
+    padding: var(--spacers-dp4);
 }
 
 .timeLabel {