diff --git a/plugins/discourse-local-dates/assets/javascripts/initializers/discourse-local-dates.js.es6 b/plugins/discourse-local-dates/assets/javascripts/initializers/discourse-local-dates.js.es6
index 9dc258ffb23..10776b2892c 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-local-dates/assets/javascripts/initializers/discourse-local-dates.js.es6
+++ b/plugins/discourse-local-dates/assets/javascripts/initializers/discourse-local-dates.js.es6
@@ -170,9 +170,11 @@ function _calculateDuration(element) {
     (dateElement) => dateElement.dataset
   );
   const startDateTime = moment(
-    `${startDataset.date} ${startDataset.time || ""}`
+    `${startDataset.date} ${startDataset.time || ""}`.trim()
+  );
+  const endDateTime = moment(
+    `${endDataset.date} ${endDataset.time || ""}`.trim()
   );
-  const endDateTime = moment(`${endDataset.date} ${endDataset.time || ""}`);
   const duration = endDateTime.diff(startDateTime, "minutes");
 
   // negative duration is used when we calculate difference for end date from range