diff --git a/src/NServiceKit.Text/Common/DateTimeSerializer.cs b/src/NServiceKit.Text/Common/DateTimeSerializer.cs
index f3c32a2..72c8df0 100644
--- a/src/NServiceKit.Text/Common/DateTimeSerializer.cs
+++ b/src/NServiceKit.Text/Common/DateTimeSerializer.cs
@@ -73,18 +73,26 @@ public static class DateTimeSerializer
         /// <summary>The XSD UTC suffix.</summary>
         private const string XsdUtcSuffix = "Z";
 
-        /// <summary>If AlwaysUseUtc is set to true then convert all DateTime to UTC.</summary>
+        /// <summary>
+        ///     If AssumeUtc, assume DateTimeKind.Unspecified dates are really UTC.
+        ///     If AlwaysUseUtc is set to true then convert all DateTime to UTC.
+        /// </summary>
         /// <param name="dateTime">   Date Time to be "Prepared".</param>
         /// <param name="parsedAsUtc">true to parsed as UTC.</param>
         /// <returns>The Prepared DateTime.</returns>
         private static DateTime Prepare(this DateTime dateTime, bool parsedAsUtc = false)
         {
+            if (dateTime.Kind == DateTimeKind.Unspecified && JsConfig.DateHandler != JsonDateHandler.TimestampOffset)
+            {
+                dateTime = DateTime.SpecifyKind(dateTime, JsConfig.AssumeUtc ? DateTimeKind.Utc : DateTimeKind.Local);
+            }
+
             if (JsConfig.AlwaysUseUtc)
             {
                 return dateTime.Kind != DateTimeKind.Utc ? dateTime.ToStableUniversalTime() : dateTime;
             }
 
-            return parsedAsUtc ? dateTime.ToLocalTime() : dateTime;
+            return parsedAsUtc && !JsConfig.AssumeUtc ? dateTime.ToLocalTime() : dateTime;
         }
 
         /// <summary>Parses a date time string and returns a nullable datetime.</summary>
@@ -155,7 +163,7 @@ public static DateTime ParseShortestXsdDateTime(string dateTimeStr)
 
             try
             {
-                return DateTime.Parse(dateTimeStr, null, DateTimeStyles.AssumeLocal).Prepare();
+				return DateTime.Parse(dateTimeStr).Prepare();
             }
             catch (FormatException)
             {
diff --git a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/JsonTests/JsonDateTimeTests.cs b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/JsonTests/JsonDateTimeTests.cs
index f12b171..a7732ef 100644
--- a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/JsonTests/JsonDateTimeTests.cs
+++ b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/JsonTests/JsonDateTimeTests.cs
@@ -383,16 +383,16 @@ public void Can_deserialize_json_date_iso8601_withZOffset_asUtc()
             JsConfig.Reset();
         }
 
-        /// <summary>Can deserialize JSON date ISO 8601 without offset as unspecified.</summary>
+        /// <summary>Can deserialize JSON date ISO 8601 without offset as Local (per the ISO 8601 spec).</summary>
         [Test]
-        public void Can_deserialize_json_date_iso8601_withoutOffset_asUnspecified()
+        public void Can_deserialize_json_date_iso8601_withoutOffset_asLocal()
         {
             JsConfig.DateHandler = JsonDateHandler.ISO8601;
 
             const string json = @"""1994-11-24T12:34:56""";
             var fromJson = JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(json);
 
-            var dateTime = new DateTime(1994, 11, 24, 12, 34, 56, DateTimeKind.Unspecified);
+            var dateTime = new DateTime(1994, 11, 24, 12, 34, 56, DateTimeKind.Local);
             Assert.That(fromJson, Is.EqualTo(dateTime));
             Assert.That(fromJson.Kind, Is.EqualTo(dateTime.Kind));
             JsConfig.Reset();
diff --git a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests.csproj b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests.csproj
index e337a2c..5b210ea 100644
--- a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests.csproj
+++ b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests.csproj
@@ -122,9 +122,6 @@
     <Reference Include="NServiceKit.ServiceInterface">
       <HintPath>..\..\lib\tests\NServiceKit.ServiceInterface.dll</HintPath>
     </Reference>
-    <Reference Include="NServiceKit.Text">
-      <HintPath>..\..\src\NServiceKit.Text\bin\Release\NServiceKit.Text.dll</HintPath>
-    </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
     <Reference Include="System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations" />
     <Reference Include="System.Core" />
@@ -132,23 +129,10 @@
     <Reference Include="System.Runtime.Serialization" />
     <Reference Include="System.ServiceModel.Web" />
     <Reference Include="System.Web" />
-    <Reference Include="System.Web.Extensions" />
-    <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
-    <Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
-    <Reference Include="System.Data" />
     <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
       <HintPath>..\..\lib\tests\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
     </Reference>
-    <Reference Include="Platform">
-      <HintPath>..\..\lib\tests\Platform.dll</HintPath>
-    </Reference>
-    <Reference Include="protobuf-net">
-      <HintPath>..\..\lib\tests\protobuf-net.dll</HintPath>
-    </Reference>
-    <Reference Include="protobuf-net.Extensions">
-      <HintPath>..\..\lib\tests\protobuf-net.Extensions.dll</HintPath>
-    </Reference>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="AdhocModelTests.cs" />
@@ -265,6 +249,12 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <Service Include="{82A7F48D-3B50-4B1E-B82E-3ADA8210C358}" />
   </ItemGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\..\src\NServiceKit.Text\NServiceKit.Text.csproj">
+      <Project>{579b3fdb-cdad-44e1-8417-885c38e49a0e}</Project>
+      <Name>NServiceKit.Text</Name>
+    </ProjectReference>
+  </ItemGroup>
   <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
   <!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it. 
        Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
diff --git a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/Utils/DateTimeSerializerTests.cs b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/Utils/DateTimeSerializerTests.cs
index 913a4fc..4fed68c 100644
--- a/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/Utils/DateTimeSerializerTests.cs
+++ b/tests/NServiceKit.Text.Tests/Utils/DateTimeSerializerTests.cs
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ public void DateTimeWithoutMilliseconds_should_always_be_deserialized_correctly_
             Assert.AreEqual(dateWithoutMillisecondsUnspecified, deserialized);
         }
 
-        /// <summary>UTC date time is deserialized as kind UTC.</summary>
-		[Test, Ignore("Don't pre-serialize into Utc")]
+		/// <summary>UTC date time is deserialized as kind UTC.</summary>
+		[Test]
 		public void UtcDateTime_Is_Deserialized_As_Kind_Utc()
 		{
 			//Serializing UTC
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public void UtcDateTime_Is_Deserialized_As_Kind_Utc()
 			var serialized = JsonSerializer.SerializeToString(utcNow);
 			//Deserializing UTC?
 			var deserialized = JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(serialized);
-			Assert.That(deserialized.Kind, Is.EqualTo(DateTimeKind.Utc)); //fails -> is DateTimeKind.Local
+			Assert.That(deserialized.Kind, Is.EqualTo(DateTimeKind.Utc)); 
 		}
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -371,6 +371,86 @@ public void DateTime_Is_Serialized_As_Utc_and_Deserialized_as_local()
             {
                 Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Utc, TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<TestObject>(TypeSerializer.SerializeToString<TestObject>(testObject)).Date.Kind);
             }
-        }        
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// DateTime with DateTimeKind.Unspecified should be treated as UTC (rather than Local) when AssumeUtc is true
+        /// </summary>
+        [Test]
+        public void DateTime_Unspecified_Is_Serialized_And_Deserialized_As_Utc_When_AssumeUtc_Flag_Is_True()
+        {
+            var dateTimeUnspecified = new DateTime(2013, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, DateTimeKind.Unspecified);
+
+            // Using JsonSerializer becayse TypeSerializer doesn't call DateTimeSerializer.WriteWcfJsonDate
+            var deserialized = JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(JsonSerializer.SerializeToString<DateTime>(dateTimeUnspecified));
+            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserialized.Date.Kind);
+            Assert.AreEqual(dateTimeUnspecified.Hour, deserialized.Hour);
+            
+
+            // Change the behavior with config
+            using (JsConfig.With(assumeUtc: true))
+            {
+                // Using JsonSerializer becayse TypeSerializer doesn't call DateTimeSerializer.WriteWcfJsonDate
+                var serializedUtc = JsonSerializer.SerializeToString<DateTime>(dateTimeUnspecified);
+                var deserializedUtc = JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(serializedUtc);
+                Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Utc, deserializedUtc.Date.Kind);
+                Assert.AreEqual(dateTimeUnspecified.Hour, deserializedUtc.Hour);
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Dates strings with no time component should deserialize to Midnight (00:00:00) Local by default, or Midnight Utc when AssumeUtc is set to true
+        /// </summary>
+        [Test]
+        public void DateTime_Should_Deserialize_Strings_With_No_Time_As_Midnight()
+        {
+            const string dateTimeStr = "2015-03-23";
+
+            var deserialized = (TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserialized.Date.Kind);
+            Assert.AreEqual(0, deserialized.Hour);
+
+            // Change the behavior with config
+            using (JsConfig.With(assumeUtc: true))
+            {
+                var deserializedUtc = (TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+                Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Utc, deserializedUtc.Date.Kind);
+                Assert.AreEqual(0, deserializedUtc.Hour);
+            }
+        }
+
+	    [Test]
+	    public void DateTime_Should_Deserialize_Correctly_If_It_Doesnt_Recognize_The_Offset_and_falls_back_to_DateTimeParse()
+	    {
+			const string dateTimeStr = "2015-03-31T16:02:42-04:00";
+			var currentTimeZone = TimeZone.CurrentTimeZone;
+
+			// TEST 1: No JsConfig options set should deserialize as local
+			var deserialized = (TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+			Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserialized.Date.Kind);
+
+			var deserializedJson = (JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+			Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserializedJson.Date.Kind);
+
+			// TEST 2: AssumeUtc shouldn't change anything because the time zone is specified
+		    using (JsConfig.With(assumeUtc: true))
+		    {
+				deserialized = (TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+				Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserialized.Date.Kind);
+
+				deserializedJson = (JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+				Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Local, deserializedJson.Date.Kind);
+			}
+
+			// TEST 3: AlwaysUseUtc should convert the time to UTC 
+			using (JsConfig.With(alwaysUseUtc: true))
+			{
+				deserialized = (TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+				Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Utc, deserialized.Date.Kind);
+
+				deserializedJson = (JsonSerializer.DeserializeFromString<DateTime>(dateTimeStr));
+				Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeKind.Utc, deserializedJson.Date.Kind);
+			}
+	    }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file