diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/classes/plan.php b/admin/tool/lp/classes/plan.php
index b686fdc1c3d..c153c425c42 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/classes/plan.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/classes/plan.php
@@ -428,8 +428,9 @@ class plan extends persistent {
      */
     protected function validate_duedate($value) {
 
-        // We do not check duedate when plan is draft, complete or unset.
-        if ($this->get_status() == self::STATUS_DRAFT
+        // We do not check duedate when plan is draft, complete, unset, or based on a template.
+        if ($this->is_based_on_template()
+                || $this->get_status() == self::STATUS_DRAFT
                 || $this->get_status() == self::STATUS_COMPLETE
                 || empty($value)) {
             return true;
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/classes/template.php b/admin/tool/lp/classes/template.php
index 8c18ab89f84..869d4d67576 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/classes/template.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/classes/template.php
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@ class template extends persistent {
 
     const TABLE = 'tool_lp_template';
 
-    /** One day threshold **/
-    const DUEDATE_THRESHOLD = 86400;
-
     /** @var template object before update. */
     protected $beforeupdate = null;
 
@@ -166,7 +163,10 @@ class template extends persistent {
 
     /**
      * Validate the due date.
-     * We set a threshold to avoid creating templates with duedate too soon, so the plans can be created safely.
+     *
+     * The due date can always be changed, but when it is it must be:
+     *  - unset
+     *  - set in the future.
      *
      * @param  int $value The due date.
      * @return bool|lang_string
@@ -176,25 +176,18 @@ class template extends persistent {
         // During update.
         if ($this->get_id()) {
             $before = $this->beforeupdate->get_duedate();
-            $haschanged = $before != $value;
 
-            if (!empty($before) && $before <= time() && $haschanged) {
-                // We cannot set a due date after it was reached.
-                return new lang_string('errorcannotchangeapastduedate', 'tool_lp');
+            // The value has not changed, then it's always OK.
+            if ($before == $value) {
+                return true;
             }
         }
 
-        // During create and update when due date in the past or too soon.
-        if (!empty($value)) {
-            if ($value <= time()) {
-                // We cannot set the date in the past, but we can leave it empty.
-                return new lang_string('errorcannotsetduedateinthepast', 'tool_lp');
-            }
-
-            if ($value <= time() + self::DUEDATE_THRESHOLD) {
-                // We cannot set the date too soon, but we can leave it empty.
-                return new lang_string('errorcannotsetduedatetoosoon', 'tool_lp');
-            }
+        // During create and update, the date must be set in the future, or not set.
+        if (!empty($value) && $value <= time() - 600) {
+            // We cannot set the date in the past. But we allow for 10 minutes of margin so that
+            // a user can set the due date to "now" without risking to hit a validation error.
+            return new lang_string('errorcannotsetduedateinthepast', 'tool_lp');
         }
 
         return true;
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/classes/template_cohort.php b/admin/tool/lp/classes/template_cohort.php
index 5dcdd230db1..16ac255fac6 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/classes/template_cohort.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/classes/template_cohort.php
@@ -163,21 +163,18 @@ class template_cohort extends persistent {
         global $DB;
 
         // Safe enough with 2 hours.
-        $time = time() + self::DUEDATE_THRESHOLD;
         $skipsql = !$unlinkedaremissing ? '(t.id = p.templateid OR t.id = p.origtemplateid)' : 't.id = p.templateid';
 
         // TODO MDL-52526 only unexpired template are considered and fix the time()+1 duedate issue.
         $sql = "SELECT cm.userid, t.*
                   FROM {cohort_members} cm
                   JOIN {" . self::TABLE . "} tc ON cm.cohortid = tc.cohortid
-                  JOIN {" . template::TABLE . "} t ON (tc.templateid = t.id
-                       AND t.visible = 1
-                       AND (t.duedate > :time OR t.duedate = 0))
+                  JOIN {" . template::TABLE . "} t ON (tc.templateid = t.id AND t.visible = 1)
              LEFT JOIN {" . plan::TABLE . "} p ON (cm.userid = p.userid AND $skipsql)
                  WHERE p.id IS NULL
               ORDER BY t.id";
 
-        $results = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, array('time' => $time));
+        $results = $DB->get_records_sql($sql);
 
         $missingplans = array();
         foreach ($results as $usertemplate) {
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/tests/api_test.php b/admin/tool/lp/tests/api_test.php
index f7d201cb763..e8f16ec88a3 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/tests/api_test.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/tests/api_test.php
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ class tool_lp_api_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $data->shortname = 'Awesome!';
         $data->description = 'This is too awesome!';
         $data->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;
-        $data->duedate = $time + tool_lp\template::DUEDATE_THRESHOLD + 200;
+        $data->duedate = $time + 200;
         api::update_template($data);
         $tpl1->read();
 
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/tests/task_test.php b/admin/tool/lp/tests/task_test.php
index 84707b678e7..8f8a6982539 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/tests/task_test.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/tests/task_test.php
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class tool_lp_task_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $user5 = $dg->create_user();
 
         $cohort = $dg->create_cohort();
-        $tpl = $lpg->create_template(array('duedate' => time() + tool_lp\template::DUEDATE_THRESHOLD + 400));
+        $tpl = $lpg->create_template(array('duedate' => time() + 400));
 
         // Add 2 users to the cohort.
         cohort_add_member($cohort->id, $user1->id);
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/tests/template_test.php b/admin/tool/lp/tests/template_test.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e28a463b7cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/tests/template_test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/**
+ * Template persistent class tests.
+ *
+ * @package    tool_lp
+ * @copyright  2016 Frédéric Massart - FMCorz.net
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+
+defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
+global $CFG;
+
+use tool_lp\template;
+
+/**
+ * Template persistent testcase.
+ *
+ * @package    tool_lp
+ * @copyright  2016 Frédéric Massart - FMCorz.net
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+class tool_lp_template_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
+
+    public function test_validate_duedate() {
+        global $DB;
+
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+        $tpl = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('tool_lp')->create_template();
+
+        // No due date -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(0);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Setting new due date in the past -> fail.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(1);
+        $errors = $tpl->get_errors();
+        $this->assertCount(1, $errors);
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('duedate', $errors);
+
+        // Setting new due date in very close past -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() - 10);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Setting new due date in future -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() + 600);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Save due date in the future.
+        $tpl->update();
+
+        // Going from future date to past -> fail.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(1);
+        $errors = $tpl->get_errors();
+        $this->assertCount(1, $errors);
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('duedate', $errors);
+
+        // Going from future date to none -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(0);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Going from future date to other future -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() + 6000);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Going from future date to close past -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() - 10);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Mocking past due date.
+        $record = $tpl->to_record();
+        $record->duedate = 1;
+        $DB->update_record(template::TABLE, $record);
+        $tpl->read();
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $tpl->get_duedate());
+
+        // Not changing the past due date -> pass.
+        // Note: changing visibility to force validation.
+        $tpl->set_visible(0);
+        $tpl->set_visible(1);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Changing past due date to other past -> fail.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(10);
+        $errors = $tpl->get_errors();
+        $this->assertCount(1, $errors);
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('duedate', $errors);
+
+        // Changing past due date close past -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() + 10);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Changing past due date to future -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(time() + 1000);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+
+        // Changing past due date to none -> pass.
+        $tpl->set_duedate(0);
+        $this->assertTrue($tpl->is_valid());
+    }
+}