diff --git a/admin/aqcontract.pl b/admin/aqcontract.pl
index f1cc17be0c..81cc640a00 100755
--- a/admin/aqcontract.pl
+++ b/admin/aqcontract.pl
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ $template->param(
     booksellerid   => $booksellerid,
     booksellername => $bookseller[0]->{name},
     DHTMLcalendar_dateformat => C4::Dates->DHTMLcalendar(),
+    dateformat     => C4::Context->preference("dateformat"),
 );
 
 #ADD_FORM: called if $op is 'add_form'. Used to create form to add or  modify a record
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/js/acq.js b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/js/acq.js
index 3acab0ce7c..0ec1460567 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/js/acq.js
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/js/acq.js
@@ -55,99 +55,6 @@ function isNum(v,maybenull) {
     return true;
 }
 
-// this function checks if date is like DD/MM/YYYY
-function CheckDate(field) {
-    var d = field.value;
-    if (d!="") {
-        var amin = 1900;
-        var amax = 2100;
-        var date = d.split("/");
-        var ok=1;
-        var msg;
-        if ( (date.length < 2) && (ok==1) ) {
-            msg = _("Separator must be /");
-                alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-                return false;
-        }
-        var dd   = date[0];
-        var mm   = date[1];
-        var yyyy = date[2];
-        // checking days
-        if ( ((isNaN(dd))||(dd<1)||(dd>31)) && (ok==1) ) {
-            msg = _("day not correct.");
-            alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-            return false;
-        }
-        // checking months
-        if ( ((isNaN(mm))||(mm<1)||(mm>12)) && (ok==1) ) {
-            msg = _("month not correct.");
-            alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-            return false;
-        }
-        // checking years
-        if ( ((isNaN(yyyy))||(yyyy<amin)||(yyyy>amax)) && (ok==1) ) {
-            msg = _("years not correct.");
-            alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-            return false;
-        }
-        // check day/month combination
-        if ((mm==4 || mm==6 || mm==9 || mm==11) && dd==31) {
-            msg = _("Invalid Day/Month combination. Please ensure that    you have a valid day/month combination.");
-            alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-            return false;
-        }
-        // check for february 29th
-        if (mm == 2) {
-            var isleap = (yyyy % 4 == 0 && (yyyy % 100 != 0 || yyyy %    400 == 0));
-            if (dd>29 || (dd==29 && !isleap)) {
-                msg = _("Invalid Day. This year is not a leap year.       Please enter a value less than 29 for the day.");
-                alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-                return false
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
-// Checks wether start date is greater than end date
-function CompareDate(startdate, enddate) {
-    startdate=startdate.split("/");
-    syear = startdate[2];
-    smonth = startdate[1];
-    sday = startdate[0];
-    enddate=enddate.split("/");
-    eyear = enddate[2];
-    emonth = enddate[1];
-    eday = enddate[0];
-
-    var sdate = new Date(syear,smonth-1,sday);
-    var edate = new Date(eyear,emonth-1,eday);
-    if (sdate > edate) {
-        msg = _("Start date after end date, please check the dates!");
-        alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
-// checks wether end date is before today, returns false if it is
-function CheckEndDate(enddate) {
-    enddate=enddate.split("/");
-    eyear = enddate[2];
-    emonth = enddate[1];
-    eday = enddate[0];
-    var edate = new Date(eyear,emonth-1,eday);
-    var today = new Date( );
-    if (today > edate) {
-        msg = _("End date before today, Invalid end date!");
-        alert(msg); ok=0; field.focus();
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
-
-
 //=======================================================================
 
 //=======================================================================
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/aqcontract.tmpl b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/aqcontract.tmpl
index 62dfae9091..b54d9cf9e9 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/aqcontract.tmpl
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/aqcontract.tmpl
@@ -21,20 +21,22 @@ function Check(ff) {
         ok=1;
         _alertString += _("- Name missing\n");
     }
-    if (!(CheckDate(ff.contractstartdate))){
+    var startDate = Date_from_syspref($("#contractstartdate").val());
+    var endDate   = Date_from_syspref($("#contractenddate").val());
+    if (!parseInt(startDate.getTime())) {
         ok=1;
-        _alertString += _("- Start date missing\n");
+        _alertString += _("- Start date missing or invalid.\n");
     }
-    if (!(CheckDate(ff.contractenddate))){
+    if (!parseInt(endDate.getTime())) {
         ok=1;
-        _alertString += _("- End date missing\n");
+        _alertString += _("- End date missing or invalid.\n");
     }
     
-    if (!CompareDate(ff.contractstartdate.value, ff.contractenddate.value)) {
+    if (startDate > endDate) {
         ok=1;
-        _alertString += _("Wrong date! start date can not be after end date.\n");
+        _alertString += _("Wrong date! start date cannot be after end date.\n");
     }
-    if (! CheckEndDate(ff.contractenddate.value)) {
+    if (endDate < (new Date)) {
         ok=1;
         _alertString += _("End date before today, Invalid end date!\n");
     }