diff --git a/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module b/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
index b545c36..65739cc 100644
--- a/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
+++ b/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
@@ -1120,3 +1120,22 @@ function datetime_range_years($string, $date = NULL) {
   }
   return array($min_year, $max_year);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_form_BASE_FORM_ID_alter() for node forms.
+ */
+function datetime_form_node_form_alter(&$form, &$form_state, $form_id) {
+  // Alter the 'Authored on' date to use datetime.
+  $form['author']['date']['#type'] = 'datetime';
+  $format = variable_get('date_format_html_date', 'Y-m-d') . ' ' . variable_get('date_format_html_time', 'H:i:s');
+  $form['author']['date']['#description'] = t('Format: %format. Leave blank to use the time of form submission.', array('%format' => datetime_format_example($format)));
+  unset($form['author']['date']['#maxlength']);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_node_prepare().
+ */
+function datetime_node_prepare($node) {
+  // Prepare the 'Authored on' date to use datetime.
+  $node->date = new DrupalDateTime($node->created);
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/NodeFormController.php b/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/NodeFormController.php
index 4bc59fe..63f2553 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/NodeFormController.php
+++ b/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/NodeFormController.php
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ protected function prepareEntity() {
       $node->created = REQUEST_TIME;
     }
     else {
-      $node->date = new DrupalDateTime($node->created);
+      $node->date = format_date($node->created, 'custom', 'Y-m-d H:i:s O');
       // Remove the log message from the original node entity.
       $node->log = NULL;
     }
@@ -187,11 +187,11 @@ public function form(array $form, array &$form_state) {
       '#weight' => -1,
       '#description' => t('Leave blank for %anonymous.', array('%anonymous' => $user_config->get('anonymous'))),
     );
-    $format = variable_get('date_format_html_date', 'Y-m-d') . ' ' . variable_get('date_format_html_time', 'H:i:s');
     $form['author']['date'] = array(
-      '#type' => 'datetime',
+      '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Authored on'),
-      '#description' => t('Format: %format. Leave blank to use the time of form submission.', array('%format' => datetime_format_example($format))),
+      '#maxlength' => 25,
+      '#description' => t('Format: %time. The date format is YYYY-MM-DD and %timezone is the time zone offset from UTC. Leave blank to use the time of form submission.', array('%time' => !empty($node->date) ? date_format(date_create($node->date), 'Y-m-d H:i:s O') : format_date($node->created, 'custom', 'Y-m-d H:i:s O'), '%timezone' => !empty($node->date) ? date_format(date_create($node->date), 'O') : format_date($node->created, 'custom', 'O'))),
       '#default_value' => !empty($node->date) ? $node->date : '',
     );
 
@@ -333,7 +333,8 @@ public function validate(array $form, array &$form_state) {
 
     // Validate the "authored on" field.
     // The date element contains the date object.
-    if ($node->date instanceOf DrupalDateTime && $node->date->hasErrors()) {
+    $date = $node->date instanceof DrupalDateTime ? $node->date : new DrupalDateTime($node->date);
+    if ($date->hasErrors()) {
       form_set_error('date', t('You have to specify a valid date.'));
     }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.info.yml b/core/modules/node/node.info.yml
index 68681a8..777ec9e 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.info.yml
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.info.yml
@@ -5,5 +5,3 @@ package: Core
 version: VERSION
 core: 8.x
 configure: admin/structure/types
-dependencies:
-  - datetime
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.install b/core/modules/node/node.install
index a4cc155..8940d06 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.install
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.install
@@ -808,11 +808,9 @@ function node_update_8013() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Enable Datetime module, which is now a required dependency.
+ * Empty update.
  */
 function node_update_8014() {
-  // Enable the datetime module.
-  update_module_enable(array('datetime'));
 }
 
 /**