diff --git a/admin/tool/uploadcourse/classes/course.php b/admin/tool/uploadcourse/classes/course.php
index 7b111cb9d35..de8c1459ce3 100644
--- a/admin/tool/uploadcourse/classes/course.php
+++ b/admin/tool/uploadcourse/classes/course.php
@@ -582,6 +582,11 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course {
             }
         }
 
+        // Course start date.
+        if (!empty($coursedata['startdate'])) {
+            $coursedata['startdate'] = strtotime($coursedata['startdate']);
+        }
+
         // Ultimate check mode vs. existence.
         switch ($mode) {
             case tool_uploadcourse_processor::MODE_CREATE_NEW:
@@ -631,11 +636,6 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course {
             $this->do = self::DO_CREATE;
         }
 
-        // Course start date.
-        if (!empty($coursedata['startdate'])) {
-            $coursedata['startdate'] = strtotime($coursedata['startdate']);
-        }
-
         // Add role renaming.
         $errors = array();
         $rolenames = tool_uploadcourse_helper::get_role_names($this->rawdata, $errors);
diff --git a/admin/tool/uploadcourse/tests/course_test.php b/admin/tool/uploadcourse/tests/course_test.php
index 26dc5568a24..6ae620c98ff 100644
--- a/admin/tool/uploadcourse/tests/course_test.php
+++ b/admin/tool/uploadcourse/tests/course_test.php
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
             'fullname' => 'Fullname',
             'category' => '1',
             'visible' => '0',
-            'startdate' => '8 June 1990',
+            'startdate' => 644803200,
             'idnumber' => '123abc',
             'summary' => 'Summary',
             'format' => 'weeks',
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['fullname'], $course->fullname);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['category'], $course->category);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['visible'], $course->visible);
-        $this->assertEquals(mktime(0, 0, 0, 6, 8, 1990), $course->startdate);
+        $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['startdate'], $course->startdate);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['idnumber'], $course->idnumber);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['summary'], $course->summary);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['format'], $course->format);
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
             'fullname' => 'Fullname 2',
             'category' => $cat->id,
             'visible' => '1',
-            'startdate' => '11 June 1984',
+            'startdate' => 455760000,
             'idnumber' => 'changedid',
             'summary' => 'Summary 2',
             'format' => 'topics',
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ class tool_uploadcourse_course_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['fullname'], $course->fullname);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['category'], $course->category);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['visible'], $course->visible);
-        $this->assertEquals(mktime(0, 0, 0, 6, 11, 1984), $course->startdate);
+        $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['startdate'], $course->startdate);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['idnumber'], $course->idnumber);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['summary'], $course->summary);
         $this->assertEquals($defaultdata['format'], $course->format);
diff --git a/calendar/tests/calendartype_test.php b/calendar/tests/calendartype_test.php
index a8ccc858ddb..c097cfd0759 100644
--- a/calendar/tests/calendartype_test.php
+++ b/calendar/tests/calendartype_test.php
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class core_calendar_type_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         }
         $submitvalues = array('dateselector' . $counter => $date);
 
-        $this->assertSame($el->exportValue($submitvalues), array('dateselector' . $counter => $date['timestamp']));
+        $this->assertSame(array('dateselector' . $counter => $date['timestamp']), $el->exportValue($submitvalues, true));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/form/dateselector.php b/lib/form/dateselector.php
index 0c8ed846a3c..27e6c3210ca 100644
--- a/lib/form/dateselector.php
+++ b/lib/form/dateselector.php
@@ -263,7 +263,6 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
      * @return array
      */
     function exportValue(&$submitValues, $assoc = false) {
-        $value = null;
         $valuearray = array();
         foreach ($this->_elements as $element){
             $thisexport = $element->exportValue($submitValues[$this->getName()], true);
@@ -275,21 +274,20 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
             if($this->_options['optional']) {
                 // If checkbox is on, the value is zero, so go no further
                 if(empty($valuearray['enabled'])) {
-                    $value[$this->getName()] = 0;
-                    return $value;
+                    return $this->_prepareValue(0, $assoc);
                 }
             }
             // Get the calendar type used - see MDL-18375.
             $calendartype = \core_calendar\type_factory::get_calendar_instance();
             $gregoriandate = $calendartype->convert_to_gregorian($valuearray['year'], $valuearray['month'], $valuearray['day']);
-            $value[$this->getName()] = make_timestamp($gregoriandate['year'],
+            $value = make_timestamp($gregoriandate['year'],
                                                       $gregoriandate['month'],
                                                       $gregoriandate['day'],
                                                       0, 0, 0,
                                                       $this->_options['timezone'],
                                                       true);
 
-            return $value;
+            return $this->_prepareValue($value, $assoc);
         } else {
             return null;
         }
diff --git a/lib/form/datetimeselector.php b/lib/form/datetimeselector.php
index 760deae5ba0..2add97eac10 100644
--- a/lib/form/datetimeselector.php
+++ b/lib/form/datetimeselector.php
@@ -286,7 +286,6 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_time_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
      * @return array
      */
     function exportValue(&$submitValues, $assoc = false) {
-        $value = null;
         $valuearray = array();
         foreach ($this->_elements as $element){
             $thisexport = $element->exportValue($submitValues[$this->getName()], true);
@@ -298,8 +297,7 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_time_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
             if($this->_options['optional']) {
                 // If checkbox is on, the value is zero, so go no further
                 if(empty($valuearray['enabled'])) {
-                    $value[$this->getName()] = 0;
-                    return $value;
+                    return $this->_prepareValue(0, $assoc);
                 }
             }
             // Get the calendar type used - see MDL-18375.
@@ -309,7 +307,7 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_time_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
                                                                  $valuearray['day'],
                                                                  $valuearray['hour'],
                                                                  $valuearray['minute']);
-            $value[$this->getName()] = make_timestamp($gregoriandate['year'],
+            $value = make_timestamp($gregoriandate['year'],
                                                       $gregoriandate['month'],
                                                       $gregoriandate['day'],
                                                       $gregoriandate['hour'],
@@ -318,7 +316,7 @@ class MoodleQuickForm_date_time_selector extends MoodleQuickForm_group {
                                                       $this->_options['timezone'],
                                                       true);
 
-            return $value;
+            return $this->_prepareValue($value, $assoc);
         } else {
             return null;
         }
diff --git a/lib/form/tests/dateselector_test.php b/lib/form/tests/dateselector_test.php
index 84727ed8a2f..12934141c68 100644
--- a/lib/form/tests/dateselector_test.php
+++ b/lib/form/tests/dateselector_test.php
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class core_form_dateselector_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
             $this->assertTrue($el instanceof MoodleQuickForm_date_selector);
             $submitvalues = array('dateselector' => $vals);
 
-            $this->assertSame(array('dateselector' => $vals['timestamp']), $el->exportValue($submitvalues),
+            $this->assertSame(array('dateselector' => $vals['timestamp']), $el->exportValue($submitvalues, true),
                     "Please check if timezones are updated (Site adminstration -> location -> update timezone)");
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/form/tests/datetimeselector_test.php b/lib/form/tests/datetimeselector_test.php
index 40b69c7b794..ec452128254 100644
--- a/lib/form/tests/datetimeselector_test.php
+++ b/lib/form/tests/datetimeselector_test.php
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class core_form_datetimeselector_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
             $this->assertTrue($el instanceof MoodleQuickForm_date_time_selector);
             $submitvalues = array('dateselector' => $vals);
 
-            $this->assertSame(array('dateselector' => $vals['timestamp']), $el->exportValue($submitvalues),
+            $this->assertSame(array('dateselector' => $vals['timestamp']), $el->exportValue($submitvalues, true),
                     "Please check if timezones are updated (Site adminstration -> location -> update timezone)");
         }
     }