diff --git a/LogicAppTemplate/TemplateGenerator.cs b/LogicAppTemplate/TemplateGenerator.cs
index c02d230..d50d4db 100644
--- a/LogicAppTemplate/TemplateGenerator.cs
+++ b/LogicAppTemplate/TemplateGenerator.cs
@@ -917,10 +917,10 @@ private JToken handleActions(JObject definition, JObject parameters)
                         if (ShouldAddTemplateParameter(recurrence["startTime"]))
                         {
                             string value = recurrence.Value<string>("startTime");
-                            DateTime date;
-                            if (DateTime.TryParse(value, out date))
+                            if (recurrence["startTime"].Type == JTokenType.Date)
                             {
-                                value = date.ToString("O");
+                                // preserve start time exactly as specified if it is a date
+                                value = recurrence["startTime"].ToString(Formatting.None).Replace("\"", string.Empty);
                             }
                             definition["triggers"][trigger.Name]["recurrence"]["startTime"] = "[parameters('" + this.AddTemplateParameter(trigger.Name + "StartTime", "string", value) + "')]";
                         }