diff --git a/pikaday.js b/pikaday.js
index ca3570d6..4ee14081 100644
--- a/pikaday.js
+++ b/pikaday.js
@@ -621,9 +621,7 @@
                 opts.maxDate = opts.minDate = false;
             }
             if (opts.minDate) {
-                setToStartOfDay(opts.minDate);
-                opts.minYear  = opts.minDate.getFullYear();
-                opts.minMonth = opts.minDate.getMonth();
+                this.setMinDate(opts.minDate)
             }
             if (opts.maxDate) {
                 setToStartOfDay(opts.maxDate);
@@ -812,7 +810,10 @@
          */
         setMinDate: function(value)
         {
+            setToStartOfDay(value);
             this._o.minDate = value;
+            this._o.minYear  = value.getFullYear();
+            this._o.minMonth = value.getMonth();
         },
 
         /**
diff --git a/tests/methods.js b/tests/methods.js
index 65f69a83..e8871f00 100644
--- a/tests/methods.js
+++ b/tests/methods.js
@@ -23,4 +23,25 @@ describe('Pikaday public method', function ()
             expect(pikaday.toString()).to.eql('25-04-14');
         });
     });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+
+    describe('When specifying minDate option in Constructor', function () {
+        it('Should remove the time portion (flattening to midnight)', function () {
+            var date = new Date(2015, 1, 17, 22, 10, 5),
+                expected = new Date(2015, 1, 17, 0, 0, 0),
+                pikaday = new Pikaday({ minDate: date });
+
+            expect(pikaday._o.minDate).to.eql(expected);
+        });
+    });
+
+    describe('#setMinDate()', function () {
+        it('should flatten date to midnight ignoring time portion (consistent with minDate option in ctor)', function () {
+            var date = new Date(2015, 1, 17, 22, 10, 5),
+                expected = new Date(2015, 1, 17, 0, 0, 0),
+                pikaday = new Pikaday();
+
+            pikaday.setMinDate(date);
+            expect(pikaday._o.minDate).to.eql(expected);
+        });
+    });
+});