diff --git a/plugins/mod_cron.lua b/plugins/mod_cron.lua
index eef257554..a39d05d5b 100644
--- a/plugins/mod_cron.lua
+++ b/plugins/mod_cron.lua
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ function module.add_host(host_module)
 		task.save = save_task;
 		module:log("debug", "%s task %s added, last run %s", task.when, task.id,
 			task.last and datetime.datetime(task.last) or "never");
-		if task.last == nil then
-			local now = os.time();
-			task.last = now - now % periods[task.when];
-		end
 		return true
 	end
 
diff --git a/teal-src/prosody/plugins/mod_cron.tl b/teal-src/prosody/plugins/mod_cron.tl
index b71b5f74b..357294d68 100644
--- a/teal-src/prosody/plugins/mod_cron.tl
+++ b/teal-src/prosody/plugins/mod_cron.tl
@@ -56,11 +56,6 @@ function module.add_host(host_module : moduleapi)
 		task.save = save_task;
 		module:log("debug", "%s task %s added, last run %s", task.when, task.id,
 			task.last and datetime.datetime(task.last) or "never");
-		if task.last == nil then
-			-- initialize new tasks so e.g. daily tasks run at ~midnight UTC for now
-			local now = os.time();
-			task.last = now - now % periods[task.when];
-		end
 		return true;
 	end