diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/tools/holidays.tmpl b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/tools/holidays.tmpl
index d8b0e064c0..34dc4f3643 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/tools/holidays.tmpl
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/tools/holidays.tmpl
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
 
 	function changeBranch () {
 		var branch = $("#branch option:selected").val();
-		location.href='/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=' + branch;
+		location.href='/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=' + branch + '&calendardate=' + "<!-- TMPL_VAR NAME='calendardate' -->";
 	}
 
 	function additionalInformation (anExplanation) {
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ h1 select { width: 20em; }
 		{
 			flat : "calendar-container",
 			flatCallback : dateChanged,
+			date: "<!-- TMPL_VAR NAME='keydate' -->",
 			dateStatusFunc : dateStatusHandler
 		}
 	);
diff --git a/tools/exceptionHolidays.pl b/tools/exceptionHolidays.pl
index dd47161334..82a5c4a001 100755
--- a/tools/exceptionHolidays.pl
+++ b/tools/exceptionHolidays.pl
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ my $year = $input->param('showYear');
 my $title = $input->param('showTitle');
 my $description = $input->param('showDescription');
 
+my $calendardate = sprintf("%04d-%02d-%02d", $year, $month, $day);
+my $isodate = C4::Dates->new($calendardate, 'iso');
+$calendardate = $isodate->output('syspref');
+
 my $calendar = C4::Calendar->new(branchcode => $branchcode);
 
 $title || ($title = '');
@@ -42,4 +46,4 @@ if ($input->param('showOperation') eq 'exception') {
   	                          month => $month,
 				              year => $year);
 }
-print $input->redirect("/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=$branchcode");
+print $input->redirect("/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=$branchcode&calendardate=$calendardate");
diff --git a/tools/holidays.pl b/tools/holidays.pl
index d3a450c42e..c92e521479 100755
--- a/tools/holidays.pl
+++ b/tools/holidays.pl
@@ -38,6 +38,21 @@ my ($template, $loggedinuser, $cookie)
                              debug => 1,
                            });
 
+# keydate - date passed to calendar.js.  calendar.js does not process dashes within a date.
+my $keydate;
+# calendardate - date passed in url for human readability (syspref)
+my $calendardate;
+my $today = C4::Dates->new();
+my $calendarinput = C4::Dates->new($input->param('calendardate')) || $today;
+# if the url has an invalid date default to 'now.'
+unless($calendardate = $calendarinput->output('syspref')) {
+  $calendardate = $today->output('syspref');
+}
+unless($keydate = $calendarinput->output('iso')) {
+  $keydate = $today->output('iso');
+}
+$keydate =~ s/-/\//g;
+
 my $branch= $input->param('branch') || C4::Context->userenv->{'branch'};
 # Set all the branches.
 my $onlymine=(C4::Context->preference('IndependantBranches') &&
@@ -122,6 +137,8 @@ $template->param(WEEK_DAYS_LOOP => \@week_days,
 				HOLIDAYS_LOOP => \@holidays,
 				EXCEPTION_HOLIDAYS_LOOP => \@exception_holidays,
 				DAY_MONTH_HOLIDAYS_LOOP => \@day_month_holidays,
+				calendardate => $calendardate,
+				keydate => $keydate,
 				branch => $branch
 	);
 
diff --git a/tools/newHolidays.pl b/tools/newHolidays.pl
index d8a51e1aef..7e85de884c 100755
--- a/tools/newHolidays.pl
+++ b/tools/newHolidays.pl
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ my $year = $input->param('newYear');
 my $title = $input->param('newTitle');
 my $description = $input->param('newDescription');
 
+my $calendardate = sprintf("%04d-%02d-%02d", $year, $month, $day);
+my $isodate = C4::Dates->new($calendardate, 'iso');
+$calendardate = $isodate->output('syspref');
+
 $title || ($title = '');
 if ($description) {
 	$description =~ s/\r/\\r/g;
@@ -51,4 +55,4 @@ if ($input->param('newOperation') eq 'weekday') {
 						             description => $description);
 
 }
-print $input->redirect("/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=$branchcode");
+print $input->redirect("/cgi-bin/koha/tools/holidays.pl?branch=$branchcode&calendardate=$calendardate");