diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/89-trigger.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/89-trigger.js
index 16a00e99d..f0aaaf393 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/89-trigger.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/89-trigger.js
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.op2 = n.op2 || "0";
         this.op1type = n.op1type || "str";
         this.op2type = n.op2type || "str";
+        // If the op1/2type is 'date', then we need to leave op1/2 alone so that
+        // evaluateNodeProperty works as expected.
+        if (this.op1type === 'date' && this.op1 === '1') {
+            this.op1 = ''
+        }
+        if (this.op2type === 'date' && this.op2 === '0') {
+            this.op2 = ''
+        }
         this.second = (n.outputs == 2) ? true : false;
         this.topic = n.topic || "topic";
 
@@ -213,7 +221,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                                                 }
                                                 else {
                                                     msg2.payload = node.topics[topic].m2;
-                                                    if (node.op2type === "date") { msg2.payload = Date.now(); }
                                                     if (node.second === true) { msgInfo.send([null,msg2]); }
                                                     else { msgInfo.send(msg2); }
                                                 }