diff --git a/src/config.js b/src/config.js
index 7f56bfe3d..31f6c38b1 100644
--- a/src/config.js
+++ b/src/config.js
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     isCustomDomain: isCustomDomain,
     database: database,
 
+    defaultTimezone: defaultTimezone,
+
     // these values are derived
     adminOrigin: adminOrigin,
     internalAdminOrigin: internalAdminOrigin,
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ function initConfig() {
         secretAccessKey: null   // selfhosting only
     };
     data.dnsInSync = false;
+    data.timezone = 'America/Los_Angeles';
 
     if (exports.CLOUDRON) {
         data.port = 3000;
@@ -202,3 +205,7 @@ function backupKey() {
 function aws() {
     return get('aws');
 }
+
+function defaultTimezone() {
+    return get('timezone');
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index 15c95b850..a5d0e8474 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -42,12 +42,9 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     _ = require('underscore');
 
 var gDefaults = (function () {
-    var tz = safe.fs.readFileSync('/etc/timezone', 'utf8');
-    tz = tz ? tz.trim() : 'America/Los_Angeles';
-
     var result = { };
     result[exports.AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY] = '00 00 1,3,5,23 * * *';
-    result[exports.TIME_ZONE_KEY] = tz;
+    result[exports.TIME_ZONE_KEY] = config.defaultTimezone();
     result[exports.CLOUDRON_NAME_KEY] = 'Cloudron';
     result[exports.DEVELOPER_MODE_KEY] = false;