Index: wflow-py/UnitTests/TestBMI_Init.py
===================================================================
diff -u -ra20639eede3aee102a13b02a6219e30de3ab4529 -r817b5d9d4c89fc22ae7e478cd77d93f844af82a9
--- wflow-py/UnitTests/TestBMI_Init.py	(.../TestBMI_Init.py)	(revision a20639eede3aee102a13b02a6219e30de3ab4529)
+++ wflow-py/UnitTests/TestBMI_Init.py	(.../TestBMI_Init.py)	(revision 817b5d9d4c89fc22ae7e478cd77d93f844af82a9)
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
         bmiobj.set_start_time(5 * 86400)
         print("-------------- Set start time to 10: ")
         bmiobj.set_end_time(10 * 86400)
+
         print("-------------- Updated start time: ")
         print(datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(bmiobj.get_start_time()))
         print("-------------- Updated end time: ")
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
 
         print("Init model...")
         bmiobj.initialize_model()
+        print(bmiobj.dynModel._userModel().config.get("run",'starttime'))
         print("-------------- Default start time: ")
         print(datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(bmiobj.get_start_time()))
         print("-------------- Default end time: ")
Index: wflow-py/wflow/wflow_bmi.py
===================================================================
diff -u -ra20639eede3aee102a13b02a6219e30de3ab4529 -r817b5d9d4c89fc22ae7e478cd77d93f844af82a9
--- wflow-py/wflow/wflow_bmi.py	(.../wflow_bmi.py)	(revision a20639eede3aee102a13b02a6219e30de3ab4529)
+++ wflow-py/wflow/wflow_bmi.py	(.../wflow_bmi.py)	(revision 817b5d9d4c89fc22ae7e478cd77d93f844af82a9)
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@
         """
 
         dateobj = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(start_time)
-        datestrimestr = dateobj.strftime("%Y:%m:%d %H:%M:%S")
+        datestrimestr = dateobj.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
 
         self.dynModel._userModel().config.set("run",'starttime',datestrimestr)
         self.dynModel._userModel().datetime_firststep=dateobj
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@
         """
 
         dateobj = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(end_time)
-        datestrimestr = dateobj.strftime("%Y:%m:%d %H:%M:%S")
+        datestrimestr = dateobj.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
         self.dynModel._userModel().config.set("run",'endtime',datestrimestr)
         self.dynModel._userModel().datetime_laststep=dateobj
         self.dynModel.datetime_laststep=dateobj