diff --git a/package/php/php.mk b/package/php/php.mk
index 3b9a1176b8..47811fff76 100644
--- a/package/php/php.mk
+++ b/package/php/php.mk
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ PHP_CONF_ENV = \
 	ac_cv_func_strcasestr=yes \
 	EXTRA_LIBS="$(PHP_EXTRA_LIBS)"
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_LOCALTIME),)
+PHP_LOCALTIME = UTC
+else
+PHP_LOCALTIME = $(BR2_TARGET_LOCALTIME)
+endif
+
 # PHP can't be AUTORECONFed the standard way unfortunately
 PHP_DEPENDENCIES += host-autoconf host-automake host-libtool
 define PHP_BUILDCONF
@@ -288,6 +294,8 @@ define PHP_INSTALL_FIXUP
 	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/bin/phpize
 	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0755 $(PHP_DIR)/php.ini-production \
 		$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/php.ini
+	$(SED) 's%;date.timezone =.*%date.timezone = $(PHP_LOCALTIME)%' \
+		$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/php.ini
 endef
 
 PHP_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += PHP_INSTALL_FIXUP