diff --git a/app/code/Magento/Catalog/Observer/SetSpecialPriceStartDate.php b/app/code/Magento/Catalog/Observer/SetSpecialPriceStartDate.php
index 280357069f96..1a553c050889 100644
--- a/app/code/Magento/Catalog/Observer/SetSpecialPriceStartDate.php
+++ b/app/code/Magento/Catalog/Observer/SetSpecialPriceStartDate.php
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ public function execute(\Magento\Framework\Event\Observer $observer)
         /** @var  $product \Magento\Catalog\Model\Product */
         $product = $observer->getEvent()->getProduct();
         if ($product->getSpecialPrice() && $product->getSpecialFromDate() === null) {
-            $product->setData('special_from_date', $this->localeDate->date()->setTime(0, 0));
+            $product->setData(
+                'special_from_date',
+                $this->localeDate->date()->setTime(0, 0)->format('Y-m-d H:i:s')
+            );
         }
         return $this;
     }