diff --git a/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py b/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
index 8ec4dfe5..7b9a5103 100644
--- a/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
+++ b/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import datetime
+import pytz
 
 from oauthlib.oauth2 import RequestValidator
 from oauthlib.oauth2 import WebApplicationServer
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
         email = request._params["openid.sreg.email"]
         full_name = request._params["openid.sreg.fullname"]
         username = request._params["openid.sreg.nickname"]
-        last_login = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        last_login = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
 
         user = user_api.user_get_by_openid(openid)
         user_dict = {"full_name": full_name,
@@ -159,10 +160,10 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
 
         # yolanda.robla: TEMPORARILY COMMENT THAT UNTIL FIX IS ON PLACE
         # Calculate the expiration date.
-        #expires_on = db_code.created_at + datetime.timedelta(
-        #    seconds=db_code.expires_in)
+        # expires_on = db_code.created_at + datetime.timedelta(
+        # seconds=db_code.expires_in)
         #
-        #return expires_on > datetime.datetime.now()
+        # return expires_on > datetime.datetime.now()
 
     def confirm_redirect_uri(self, client_id, code, redirect_uri, client,
                              *args, **kwargs):
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
         access_token_values = {
             "access_token": token["access_token"],
             "expires_in": token["expires_in"],
-            "expires_at": datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(
+            "expires_at": datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc) + datetime.timedelta(
                 seconds=token["expires_in"]),
             "user_id": user_id
         }
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
             "refresh_token": token["refresh_token"],
             "user_id": user_id,
             "expires_in": refresh_expires_in,
-            "expires_at": datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(
+            "expires_at": datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc) + datetime.timedelta(
                 seconds=refresh_expires_in),
         }
         auth_api.refresh_token_save(refresh_token_values)
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
         if not refresh_token_entry:
             return False
 
-        if datetime.datetime.utcnow() > refresh_token_entry.expires_at:
+        if datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc) > refresh_token_entry.expires_at:
             auth_api.refresh_token_delete(refresh_token)
             return False
 
diff --git a/storyboard/db/api/access_tokens.py b/storyboard/db/api/access_tokens.py
index 16157086..4f4f2a00 100644
--- a/storyboard/db/api/access_tokens.py
+++ b/storyboard/db/api/access_tokens.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import datetime
+import pytz
 
 from storyboard.db.api import base as api_base
 from storyboard.db import models
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ def is_valid(access_token):
     if not token:
         return False
 
-    if datetime.datetime.utcnow() > token.expires_at:
+    if datetime.datetime.now(tz=pytz.utc) > token.expires_at:
         access_token_delete(token.id)
         return False
 
@@ -75,9 +76,9 @@ def access_token_get_count(**kwargs):
 
 def access_token_create(values):
     # Update the expires_at date.
-    values['created_at'] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-    values['expires_at'] = datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(
-        seconds=values['expires_in'])
+    values['created_at'] = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
+    values['expires_at'] = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc) + datetime \
+        .timedelta(seconds=values['expires_in'])
 
     return api_base.entity_create(models.AccessToken, values)
 
diff --git a/storyboard/db/decorators.py b/storyboard/db/decorators.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49415829
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storyboard/db/decorators.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from sqlalchemy.types import TypeDecorator, DateTime
+import pytz
+
+
+class UTCDateTime(TypeDecorator):
+    """This decorator ensures that timezones will always remain attached to
+    datetime fields that are written to/from the database, since mysql does
+    NOT support timezones in its datetime fields. In the case that a
+    value is provided without a timezone, it will raise an exception to draw
+    attention to itself: Engineers should always work with timezoned
+    datetime instances.
+    """
+    impl = DateTime
+
+    def process_bind_param(self, value, engine):
+        if value is not None:
+            # If the value doesn't have a timezone, raise an exception.
+            if not value.tzinfo:
+                raise RuntimeError("Datetime value without timezone provided,"
+                                   " please provide a timezone.")
+
+            # Convert to UTC, then scrub the timezone for storing in MySQL.
+            return value.astimezone(pytz.utc).replace(tzinfo=None)
+
+    def process_result_value(self, value, engine):
+        if value is not None:
+            return value.replace(tzinfo=pytz.utc)
diff --git a/storyboard/db/models.py b/storyboard/db/models.py
index 272e9022..18854351 100644
--- a/storyboard/db/models.py
+++ b/storyboard/db/models.py
@@ -17,11 +17,15 @@
 SQLAlchemy Models for storing storyboard
 """
 
+import datetime
+import pytz
+import six
+import six.moves.urllib.parse as urlparse
+
 from oslo.config import cfg
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import models
 from sqlalchemy import Boolean
 from sqlalchemy import Column
-from sqlalchemy import DateTime
 from sqlalchemy.dialects.mysql import MEDIUMTEXT
 from sqlalchemy import Enum
 from sqlalchemy.ext import declarative
@@ -38,8 +42,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import Unicode
 from sqlalchemy import UnicodeText
 from sqlalchemy_fulltext import FullText
 
-import six
-import six.moves.urllib.parse as urlparse
+from storyboard.db.decorators import UTCDateTime
 
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 
@@ -71,7 +74,18 @@ class IdMixin(object):
     id = Column(Integer, primary_key=True)
 
 
-class StoriesBase(models.TimestampMixin,
+class UTCTimestampMixin(object):
+    """A Database model mixin that automatically manages our creation and
+    updating timestamps. This mixin was copied from oslo.db, and adapted to
+    use our own internal UTCDateTime type decorator.
+    """
+    created_at = Column(UTCDateTime,
+                        default=lambda: datetime.datetime.now(tz=pytz.utc))
+    updated_at = Column(UTCDateTime,
+                        onupdate=lambda: datetime.datetime.now(tz=pytz.utc))
+
+
+class StoriesBase(UTCTimestampMixin,
                   IdMixin,
                   models.ModelBase):
     metadata = None
@@ -134,7 +148,7 @@ class User(FullText, ModelBuilder, Base):
     is_staff = Column(Boolean, default=False)
     is_active = Column(Boolean, default=True)
     is_superuser = Column(Boolean, default=False)
-    last_login = Column(DateTime)
+    last_login = Column(UTCDateTime)
     teams = relationship("Team", secondary="team_membership")
     permissions = relationship("Permission", secondary="user_permissions")
     enable_login = Column(Boolean, default=True)
@@ -316,7 +330,7 @@ class AccessToken(ModelBuilder, Base):
     access_token = Column(Unicode(CommonLength.top_middle_length),
                           nullable=False)
     expires_in = Column(Integer, nullable=False)
-    expires_at = Column(DateTime, nullable=False)
+    expires_at = Column(UTCDateTime, nullable=False)
     refresh_tokens = relationship("RefreshToken",
                                   cascade="save-update, merge, delete",
                                   passive_updates=False,
@@ -331,7 +345,7 @@ class RefreshToken(ModelBuilder, Base):
     refresh_token = Column(Unicode(CommonLength.top_middle_length),
                            nullable=False)
     expires_in = Column(Integer, nullable=False)
-    expires_at = Column(DateTime, nullable=False)
+    expires_at = Column(UTCDateTime, nullable=False)
 
 
 def _story_build_summary_query():
diff --git a/storyboard/migrate/launchpad/writer.py b/storyboard/migrate/launchpad/writer.py
index 1873adaa..9f7aa643 100644
--- a/storyboard/migrate/launchpad/writer.py
+++ b/storyboard/migrate/launchpad/writer.py
@@ -150,12 +150,12 @@ class LaunchpadWriter(object):
         """
 
         if hasattr(bug, 'date_created'):
-            created_at = bug.date_created.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+            created_at = bug.date_created
         else:
             created_at = None
 
         if hasattr(bug, 'date_last_updated'):
-            updated_at = bug.date_last_updated.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+            updated_at = bug.date_last_updated
         else:
             updated_at = None
 
@@ -263,8 +263,7 @@ class LaunchpadWriter(object):
         for i in range(current_count, desired_count):
             print '- Importing comment %s of %s' % (i + 1, desired_count)
             message = bug.messages[i]
-            message_created_at = message.date_created \
-                .strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+            message_created_at = message.date_created
             message_owner = self.write_user(message.owner)
 
             comment = comments_api.comment_create({
diff --git a/storyboard/plugin/cron/base.py b/storyboard/plugin/cron/base.py
index 9fe93243..ca0d2198 100644
--- a/storyboard/plugin/cron/base.py
+++ b/storyboard/plugin/cron/base.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class CronPluginBase(plugin_base.PluginBase):
 
         lr_file = os.path.join(cron_directory, plugin_name)
 
-        now = pytz.utc.localize(datetime.datetime.utcnow())
+        now = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
 
         start_time = self._get_file_mtime(path=lr_file)
         end_time = self._get_file_mtime(path=lr_file,
diff --git a/storyboard/plugin/token_cleaner/cleaner.py b/storyboard/plugin/token_cleaner/cleaner.py
index de72a4b8..f9ea472c 100644
--- a/storyboard/plugin/token_cleaner/cleaner.py
+++ b/storyboard/plugin/token_cleaner/cleaner.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime
 from datetime import timedelta
+import pytz
 
 import storyboard.db.api.base as api_base
 from storyboard.db.models import AccessToken
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class TokenCleaner(CronPluginBase):
         :param end_time: The current timestamp.
         """
         # Calculate last week.
-        lastweek = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(weeks=1)
+        lastweek = datetime.now(pytz.utc) - timedelta(weeks=1)
 
         # Build the query.
         query = api_base.model_query(AccessToken.id)
diff --git a/storyboard/tests/db/api/test_access_tokens.py b/storyboard/tests/db/api/test_access_tokens.py
index fcc9de62..1b7c5105 100644
--- a/storyboard/tests/db/api/test_access_tokens.py
+++ b/storyboard/tests/db/api/test_access_tokens.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from datetime import datetime
+import pytz
 
 from storyboard.db.api import access_tokens
 from storyboard.db.api import users
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ class TokenTest(base.BaseDbTestCase):
             "access_token": u'an_access_token',
             "refresh_token": u'a_refresh_token',
             "expires_in": 3600,
-            "expires_at": datetime.utcnow(),
+            "expires_at": datetime.now(pytz.utc),
             "user_id": 1
         }
 
diff --git a/storyboard/tests/mock_data.py b/storyboard/tests/mock_data.py
index c092299f..34829c1a 100644
--- a/storyboard/tests/mock_data.py
+++ b/storyboard/tests/mock_data.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # under the License.
 
 import datetime
+import pytz
 
 import storyboard.common.event_types as event
 from storyboard.db.api import base as db
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ def load():
     """Load a batch of useful data into the database that our tests can work
     with.
     """
-    now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+    now = datetime.datetime.now(tz=pytz.utc)
     expires_at = now + datetime.timedelta(seconds=3600)
     expired_at = now + datetime.timedelta(seconds=-3600)
 
@@ -63,22 +64,22 @@ def load():
             user_id=1,
             access_token='valid_superuser_token',
             expires_in=3600,
-            expires_at=expires_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')),
+            expires_at=expires_at),
         AccessToken(
             user_id=1,
             access_token='expired_superuser_token',
             expires_in=3600,
-            expires_at=expired_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')),
+            expires_at=expired_at),
         AccessToken(
             user_id=2,
             access_token='valid_user_token',
             expires_in=3600,
-            expires_at=expires_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')),
+            expires_at=expires_at),
         AccessToken(
             user_id=2,
             access_token='expired_user_token',
             expires_in=3600,
-            expires_at=expired_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'))
+            expires_at=expired_at)
     ])
 
     # Create some test projects.
diff --git a/storyboard/tests/plugin/cron/test_base.py b/storyboard/tests/plugin/cron/test_base.py
index 9c3f7854..ba4f0aa1 100644
--- a/storyboard/tests/plugin/cron/test_base.py
+++ b/storyboard/tests/plugin/cron/test_base.py
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ class TestCronPluginBase(base.WorkingDirTestCase):
 
         # Current timestamp, remove microseconds so that we don't run into
         # execution time delay problems.
-        now = pytz.utc.localize(datetime.datetime.utcnow()) \
-            .replace(microsecond=0)
+        now = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc).replace(microsecond=0)
 
         # Check the plugin's params.
         self.assertEqual(last_run_date, plugin.last_invocation_parameters[0])
diff --git a/storyboard/tests/plugin/token_cleaner/test_cleaner.py b/storyboard/tests/plugin/token_cleaner/test_cleaner.py
index 9aeefa9c..75b05e7e 100644
--- a/storyboard/tests/plugin/token_cleaner/test_cleaner.py
+++ b/storyboard/tests/plugin/token_cleaner/test_cleaner.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime
 from datetime import timedelta
+import pytz
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 import storyboard.db.api.base as db_api
@@ -67,16 +68,16 @@ class TestTokenCleaner(db_base.BaseDbTestCase,
         new_access_tokens = []
         new_refresh_tokens = []
         for i in range(0, 100):
-            created_at = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(days=i)
+            created_at = datetime.now(pytz.utc) - timedelta(days=i)
             expires_in = (60 * 60 * 24) - 5  # Minus five seconds, see above.
             expires_at = created_at + timedelta(seconds=expires_in)
 
             new_access_tokens.append(
                 AccessToken(
                     user_id=1,
-                    created_at=created_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'),
+                    created_at=created_at,
                     expires_in=expires_in,
-                    expires_at=expires_at.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'),
+                    expires_at=expires_at,
                     access_token='test_token_%s' % (i,))
             )
         new_access_tokens = load_data(new_access_tokens)