diff --git a/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php b/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
index c57747e2a..0786152c3 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
+++ b/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ class Application_Model_Preference
         } 
         
         $fade = number_format($fade, 6);
+        //fades need 2 leading zeros for DateTime conversion
+        $fade = str_pad($fade, 9, "0", STR_PAD_LEFT);
         return $fade;
     }
     
diff --git a/airtime_mvc/application/models/airtime/CcSchedule.php b/airtime_mvc/application/models/airtime/CcSchedule.php
index 87532e2c6..75a01e758 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/application/models/airtime/CcSchedule.php
+++ b/airtime_mvc/application/models/airtime/CcSchedule.php
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ class CcSchedule extends BaseCcSchedule {
             $dt = $v;
         }
         else if (preg_match('/^[0-9]{1,2}(\.\d{1,6})?$/', $v)) {
-            $v = str_pad($v, 9, "0", STR_PAD_LEFT);
             $dt = DateTime::createFromFormat("s.u", $v);
         }
         else {
@@ -139,7 +138,6 @@ class CcSchedule extends BaseCcSchedule {
             $dt = $v;
         }
         else if (preg_match('/^[0-9]{1,2}(\.\d{1,6})?$/', $v)) {
-            $v = str_pad($v, 9, "0", STR_PAD_LEFT);
             $dt = DateTime::createFromFormat("s.u", $v);
         }
         else {