diff --git a/lib/mysql.js b/lib/mysql.js
index 1b56900..fd01fc1 100644
--- a/lib/mysql.js
+++ b/lib/mysql.js
@@ -152,6 +152,13 @@ function generateOptions(settings) {
         options[p] = s[p];
       }
     }
+    // Legacy UTC Date Processing fallback - SHOULD BE TRANSITIONAL
+    if (s.legacyUtcDateProcessing === undefined) {
+      s.legacyUtcDateProcessing = true;
+    }
+    if (s.legacyUtcDateProcessing) {
+      options.timezone = 'Z';
+    }
   }
   return options;
 }
@@ -307,19 +314,6 @@ MySQL.prototype.updateOrCreate = function(model, data, options, cb) {
   this._modifyOrCreate(model, data, options, fields, cb);
 };
 
-function dateToMysql(val) {
-  return val.getUTCFullYear() + '-' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCMonth() + 1) + '-' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCDate()) + ' ' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCHours()) + ':' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCMinutes()) + ':' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCSeconds());
-
-  function fillZeros(v) {
-    return v < 10 ? '0' + v : v;
-  }
-}
-
 MySQL.prototype.getInsertedId = function(model, info) {
   var insertedId = info && typeof info.insertId === 'number' ?
     info.insertId : undefined;
@@ -356,7 +350,10 @@ MySQL.prototype.toColumnValue = function(prop, val) {
     if (!val.toUTCString) {
       val = new Date(val);
     }
-    return dateToMysql(val);
+    return val;
+  }
+  if (prop.type.name === 'DateString') {
+    return val.when;
   }
   if (prop.type === Boolean) {
     return !!val;
@@ -411,14 +408,12 @@ MySQL.prototype.fromColumnValue = function(prop, val) {
         val = String(val);
         break;
       case 'Date':
-
+      case 'DateString':
         // MySQL allows, unless NO_ZERO_DATE is set, dummy date/time entries
         // new Date() will return Invalid Date for those, so we need to handle
         // those separate.
-        if (val == '0000-00-00 00:00:00') {
+        if (!val || val == '0000-00-00 00:00:00' || val == '0000-00-00') {
           val = null;
-        } else {
-          val = new Date(val.toString().replace(/GMT.*$/, 'GMT'));
         }
         break;
       case 'Boolean':
diff --git a/test/datetime.test.js b/test/datetime.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1924b6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/datetime.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+// Copyright IBM Corp. 2012,2017. All Rights Reserved.
+// Node module: loopback-connector-mysql
+// This file is licensed under the MIT License.
+// License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+
+'use strict';
+
+var DateString = require('../node_modules/loopback-datasource-juggler/lib/date-string');
+var fmt = require('util').format;
+var should = require('./init.js');
+
+var db, Person;
+describe('MySQL datetime handling', function() {
+  var personDefinition = {
+    name: String,
+    gender: String,
+    married: Boolean,
+    dob: {type: 'DateString'},
+    createdAt: {type: Date, default: Date},
+  };
+
+  // Modifying the connection timezones mid-flight is a pain,
+  // but closing the existing connection requires more effort.
+  function setConnectionTimezones(tz) {
+    db.connector.client._allConnections.forEach(function(con) {
+      con.config.timezone = tz;
+    });
+  }
+  before(function(done) {
+    db = getSchema({
+      dateStrings: true,
+    });
+    Person = db.define('Person', personDefinition, {forceId: true, strict: true});
+    db.automigrate(['Person'], done);
+  });
+
+  beforeEach(function() {
+    setConnectionTimezones('Z');
+  });
+  after(function(done) {
+    Person.destroyAll(function(err) {
+      db.disconnect(function() {
+        return done(err);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should allow use of DateStrings', function(done) {
+    var d = new DateString('1971-06-22');
+    return Person.create({
+      name: 'Mr. Pink',
+      gender: 'M',
+      dob: d,
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+    }).then(function(inst) {
+      return Person.findById(inst.id);
+    }).then(function(inst) {
+      inst.should.not.eql(null);
+      inst.dob.toString().should.eql(d.toString());
+      return done();
+    }).catch(function(err) {
+      return done(err);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('should allow use of alternate timezone settings', function() {
+    var d = new Date('1971-06-22T00:00:00.000Z');
+    testDateTime(d, '+04:00', '1971-06-22 04:00:00');
+    testDateTime(d, '-04:00', '1971-06-21 20:00:00');
+    testDateTime(d, '-11:00', '1971-06-21 13:00:00');
+    testDateTime(d, '+12:00', '1971-06-22 12:00:00');
+
+    function testDateTime(date, tz, expected) {
+      it(tz, function(done) {
+        setConnectionTimezones(tz);
+        db.settings.legacyUtcDateProcessing = false;
+        db.settings.timezone = tz;
+        var dt = new Date(date);
+        return Person.create({
+          name: 'Mr. Pink',
+          gender: 'M',
+          createdAt: dt,
+        }).then(function(inst) {
+          return Person.findById(inst.id);
+        }).then(function(inst) {
+          inst.should.not.eql(null);
+          inst.createdAt.toString().should.eql(expected);
+          return done();
+        }).catch(function(err) {
+          return done(err);
+        });
+      });
+    }
+  });
+});