diff --git a/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php b/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
index 304cd6b35..e656bf983 100644
--- a/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
+++ b/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
@@ -318,8 +318,9 @@ class AirtimeInstall
 
     public static function SetDefaultTimezone()
     {
-        $con = Propel::getConnection();
-        $defaultTimezone = exec("cat /etc/timezone");
+        $con = Propel::getConnection();
+        // we need to run php as commandline because we want to get the timezone in cli php.ini file
+        $defaultTimezone = exec("php -r 'echo date_default_timezone_get().PHP_EOL;'");
         $sql = "INSERT INTO cc_pref (keystr, valstr) VALUES ('timezone', '$defaultTimezone')";
         $result = $con->exec($sql);
         if ($result < 1) {