diff --git a/date_api/date_api.module b/date_api/date_api.module
index b1be6e5..727caac 100644
--- a/date_api/date_api.module
+++ b/date_api/date_api.module
@@ -2408,7 +2408,7 @@ function date_get_timezone_db($handling, $timezone = NULL) {
       if ($timezone == NULL) {
         // This shouldn't happen, since it's meaning is undefined. But we need
         // to fall back to *something* that's a legal timezone.
-        $timezone = date_default_timezone();
+        $timezone = 'UTC';
       }
       break;
     case ('none'):