diff --git a/test/common/libs/taskDefaults.test.js b/test/common/libs/taskDefaults.test.js
index 756447a8df..1ec59b562c 100644
--- a/test/common/libs/taskDefaults.test.js
+++ b/test/common/libs/taskDefaults.test.js
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
+import moment from 'moment';
+
 import taskDefaults from '../../../website/common/script/libs/taskDefaults';
+import { generateUser } from '../../helpers/common.helper';
 
 describe('taskDefaults', () => {
   it('applies defaults to undefined type or habit', () => {
-    let task = taskDefaults();
+    let task = taskDefaults({}, generateUser());
     expect(task.type).to.eql('habit');
     expect(task._id).to.exist;
     expect(task.text).to.eql(task._id);
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ describe('taskDefaults', () => {
   });
 
   it('applies defaults to a daily', () => {
-    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'daily' });
+    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'daily' }, generateUser());
     expect(task.type).to.eql('daily');
     expect(task._id).to.exist;
     expect(task.text).to.eql(task._id);
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ describe('taskDefaults', () => {
   });
 
   it('applies defaults a reward', () => {
-    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'reward' });
+    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'reward' }, generateUser());
     expect(task.type).to.eql('reward');
     expect(task._id).to.exist;
     expect(task.text).to.eql(task._id);
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ describe('taskDefaults', () => {
   });
 
   it('applies defaults a todo', () => {
-    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'todo' });
+    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'todo' }, generateUser());
     expect(task.type).to.eql('todo');
     expect(task._id).to.exist;
     expect(task.text).to.eql(task._id);
@@ -61,4 +64,18 @@ describe('taskDefaults', () => {
     expect(task.priority).to.eql(1);
     expect(task.completed).to.eql(false);
   });
+
+  it('starts a task yesterday if user cron is later today', () => {
+    // Configure to have a day start that's *always* tomorrow.
+    let user = generateUser({'preferences.dayStart': 25});
+    let task = taskDefaults({ type: 'daily' }, user);
+
+    expect(task.startDate).to.eql(
+      moment()
+        .zone(user.preferences.timezoneOffset, 'hour')
+        .startOf('day')
+        .subtract(1, 'day')
+        .toDate()
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/common/shouldDo.test.js b/test/common/shouldDo.test.js
index b4b2feaae1..dedcaa4951 100644
--- a/test/common/shouldDo.test.js
+++ b/test/common/shouldDo.test.js
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       options.timezoneOffset = 0;
       options.nextDue = true;
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-01').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-01').toDate();
       dailyTask.frequency = 'daily';
       dailyTask.everyX = 2;
       dailyTask.startDate = day;
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       options.timezoneOffset = 0;
       options.nextDue = true;
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-01').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-01').toDate();
       dailyTask.frequency = 'weekly';
       dailyTask.everyX = 1;
       dailyTask.repeat = {
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       options.timezoneOffset = 0;
       options.nextDue = true;
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-01').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-01').toDate();
 
       dailyTask.frequency = 'monthly';
       dailyTask.everyX = 3;
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       expect(moment(nextDue[4]).toDate()).to.eql(moment.utc('2017-10-02').toDate());
       expect(moment(nextDue[5]).toDate()).to.eql(moment.utc('2017-11-06').toDate());
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-08').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-08').toDate();
 
       dailyTask.daysOfMonth = [];
       dailyTask.weeksOfMonth = [1];
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       expect(moment(nextDue[4]).toDate()).to.eql(moment.utc('2017-10-09').toDate());
       expect(moment(nextDue[5]).toDate()).to.eql(moment.utc('2017-11-13').toDate());
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-29').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-29').toDate();
 
       dailyTask.daysOfMonth = [];
       dailyTask.weeksOfMonth = [4];
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ describe('shouldDo', () => {
       options.timezoneOffset = 0;
       options.nextDue = true;
 
-      day = moment('2017-05-01').toDate();
+      day = moment.utc('2017-05-01').toDate();
 
       dailyTask.frequency = 'yearly';
       dailyTask.everyX = 5;
diff --git a/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue b/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
index e164475aa0..b3a7b1230f 100644
--- a/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ export default {
     },
     createTask (type) {
       this.taskFormPurpose = 'create';
-      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''});
+      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''}, this.user);
       this.workingTask = this.creatingTask;
       // Necessary otherwise the first time the modal is not rendered
       Vue.nextTick(() => {
diff --git a/website/client/components/chat/copyAsTodoModal.vue b/website/client/components/chat/copyAsTodoModal.vue
index daea542136..cd29534ee6 100644
--- a/website/client/components/chat/copyAsTodoModal.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/chat/copyAsTodoModal.vue
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export default {
         type: 'todo',
         notes,
       };
-      this.task = taskDefaults(newTask);
+      this.task = taskDefaults(newTask, this.$store.state.user.data);
       this.$root.$emit('bv::show::modal', 'copyAsTodo');
     });
   },
diff --git a/website/client/components/group-plans/taskInformation.vue b/website/client/components/group-plans/taskInformation.vue
index 01aeb6c3e8..b65b216a11 100644
--- a/website/client/components/group-plans/taskInformation.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/group-plans/taskInformation.vue
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ export default {
     },
     createTask (type) {
       this.taskFormPurpose = 'create';
-      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''});
+      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''}, this.user);
       this.workingTask = this.creatingTask;
       // Necessary otherwise the first time the modal is not rendered
       Vue.nextTick(() => {
diff --git a/website/client/components/tasks/column.vue b/website/client/components/tasks/column.vue
index 58c2ff139f..4ea4ea606e 100644
--- a/website/client/components/tasks/column.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/tasks/column.vue
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ export default {
       const tasks = text.split('\n').reverse().filter(taskText => {
         return taskText ? true : false;
       }).map(taskText => {
-        const task = taskDefaults({type: this.type, text: taskText});
+        const task = taskDefaults({type: this.type, text: taskText}, this.user);
         task.tags = this.selectedTags;
         return task;
       });
diff --git a/website/client/components/tasks/user.vue b/website/client/components/tasks/user.vue
index bf5dd16585..18fd696b3a 100644
--- a/website/client/components/tasks/user.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/tasks/user.vue
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ export default {
     },
     createTask (type) {
       this.openCreateBtn = false;
-      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''});
+      this.creatingTask = taskDefaults({type, text: ''}, this.user);
       this.creatingTask.tags = this.selectedTags;
 
       // Necessary otherwise the first time the modal is not rendered
diff --git a/website/common/script/libs/taskDefaults.js b/website/common/script/libs/taskDefaults.js
index 52c8f2f54a..8408119585 100644
--- a/website/common/script/libs/taskDefaults.js
+++ b/website/common/script/libs/taskDefaults.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 
 const tasksTypes = ['habit', 'daily', 'todo', 'reward'];
 
-module.exports = function taskDefaults (task = {}) {
+module.exports = function taskDefaults (task, user) {
   if (!task.type || tasksTypes.indexOf(task.type) === -1) {
     task.type = 'habit';
   }
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ module.exports = function taskDefaults (task = {}) {
   }
 
   if (task.type === 'daily') {
+    let now = moment().zone(user.preferences.timezoneOffset);
+    let startOfDay = now.clone().startOf('day');
+    let startOfDayWithCDSTime = startOfDay
+      .clone()
+      .add({
+        hours: user.preferences.dayStart,
+      });
+
     defaults(task, {
       streak: 0,
       repeat: {
@@ -76,7 +84,10 @@ module.exports = function taskDefaults (task = {}) {
         s: true,
         su: true,
       },
-      startDate: moment().startOf('day').toDate(),
+      // If cron will happen today, start the daily yesterday
+      startDate: startOfDayWithCDSTime.isAfter(now) ?
+        startOfDay.clone().subtract(1, 'day').toDate() :
+        startOfDay.toDate(),
       everyX: 1,
       frequency: 'weekly',
       daysOfMonth: [],
diff --git a/website/common/script/ops/addTask.js b/website/common/script/ops/addTask.js
index 506bde22b8..92badf72fc 100644
--- a/website/common/script/ops/addTask.js
+++ b/website/common/script/ops/addTask.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import clone from 'lodash/clone';
 // TODO move to client since it's only used there?
 
 module.exports = function addTask (user, req = {body: {}}) {
-  let task = taskDefaults(req.body);
+  let task = taskDefaults(req.body, user);
   user.tasksOrder[`${task.type}s`].unshift(task._id);
   user[`${task.type}s`].unshift(task);