diff --git a/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacadata.py b/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacadata.py
index cb889c46..e037d965 100644
--- a/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacadata.py
+++ b/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacadata.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
+import pytz
 from backtrader.feed import DataBase
 from backtrader import date2num, num2date
 from backtrader.utils.py3 import queue, with_metaclass
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ class AlpacaData(with_metaclass(MetaAlpacaData, DataBase)):
         ('reconnect', True),
         ('reconnections', -1),  # forever
         ('reconntimeout', 5.0),
+        ('tz', pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')),
     )
 
     _store = alpacastore.AlpacaStore
@@ -217,11 +219,11 @@ def _st_start(self, instart=True, tmout=None):
             self.put_notification(self.DELAYED)
             dtend = None
             if self.todate < float('inf'):
-                dtend = num2date(self.todate)
+                dtend = self.p.tz.localize(num2date(self.todate))
 
             dtbegin = None
             if self.fromdate > float('-inf'):
-                dtbegin = num2date(self.fromdate)
+                dtbegin = self.p.tz.localize(num2date(self.fromdate))
 
             self.qhist = self.o.candles(
                 self.p.dataname, dtbegin, dtend,
@@ -333,12 +335,12 @@ def _load(self):
                     # len == 1 ... forwarded for the 1st time
                     dtbegin = self.datetime.datetime(-1)
                 elif self.fromdate > float('-inf'):
-                    dtbegin = num2date(self.fromdate)
+                    dtbegin = self.p.tz.localize(num2date(self.fromdate))
                 else:  # 1st bar and no begin set
                     # passing None to fetch max possible in 1 request
                     dtbegin = None
 
-                dtend = datetime.utcfromtimestamp(int(msg['time']))
+                dtend = datetime.fromtimestamp(int(msg['time']), tz=pytz.utc)
 
                 self.qhist = self.o.candles(
                     self.p.dataname, dtbegin, dtend,
diff --git a/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacastore.py b/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacastore.py
index c229cacd..7bfdedfa 100644
--- a/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacastore.py
+++ b/alpaca_backtrader_api/alpacastore.py
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ async def on_trade(self, conn, stream, msg):
 
 class MetaSingleton(MetaParams):
     '''Metaclass to make a metaclassed class a singleton'''
+
     def __init__(cls, name, bases, dct):
         super(MetaSingleton, cls).__init__(name, bases, dct)
         cls._singleton = None
@@ -466,7 +467,10 @@ def _make_sure_dates_are_initialized_properly(self, dtbegin, dtend,
         if not dtend:
             dtend = pd.Timestamp('now', tz=NY)
         else:
-            dtend = pd.Timestamp(pytz.timezone('UTC').localize(dtend))
+            if dtend.tzinfo:
+                dtend = pd.Timestamp(dtend.astimezone(pytz.timezone(NY)))
+            else:
+                dtend = pd.Timestamp(pytz.timezone(NY).localize(dtend))
         if granularity == Granularity.Minute:
             calendar = trading_calendars.get_calendar(name='NYSE')
             while not calendar.is_open_on_minute(dtend):
@@ -480,7 +484,11 @@ def _make_sure_dates_are_initialized_properly(self, dtbegin, dtend,
             delta = timedelta(days=days)
             dtbegin = dtend - delta
         else:
-            dtbegin = pd.Timestamp(pytz.timezone('UTC').localize(dtbegin))
+            if dtbegin.tzinfo:
+                dtbegin = pd.Timestamp(dtbegin.astimezone(pytz.timezone(NY)))
+            else:
+                dtbegin = pd.Timestamp(pytz.timezone(NY).localize(dtbegin))
+
         while dtbegin > dtend:
             # if we start the script during market hours we could get this
             # situation. this resolves that.
@@ -506,6 +514,7 @@ def get_aggs_from_polygon(self,
         time window of 2 weeks, and split the calls until we get all required
         data
         """
+
         def _clear_out_of_market_hours(df):
             """
             only interested in samples between 9:30, 16:00 NY time
@@ -575,6 +584,7 @@ def get_aggs_from_alpaca(self,
           but we need to manipulate it to be able to work with it
           smoothly and return data the same way polygon does
         """
+
         def _iterate_api_calls():
             """
             you could get max 1000 samples from the server. if we need more
@@ -847,6 +857,7 @@ def _check_if_transaction_occurred(order_id):
                 if trans is None:
                     break
                 self._process_transaction(order_id, trans)
+
         while True:
             try:
                 if self.q_ordercreate.empty():
@@ -934,7 +945,7 @@ def _transaction(self, trans):
             self._transpend[oid].append(trans)
         self._process_transaction(oid, trans)
 
-    _X_ORDER_FILLED = ('partially_filled', 'filled', )
+    _X_ORDER_FILLED = ('partially_filled', 'filled',)
 
     def _process_transaction(self, oid, trans):
         try: