diff --git a/src/base-typemaps.i b/src/base-typemaps.i
index 727949fb05..187b64ea63 100644
--- a/src/base-typemaps.i
+++ b/src/base-typemaps.i
@@ -72,23 +72,23 @@ typedef char gchar;
 %typemap(in) time64 * (time64 t) "t = scm_to_int64($input); $1 = &t;"
 %typemap(out) time64 * " $result = ($1) ? scm_from_int64(*($1)) : SCM_BOOL_F; "
 
-%typemap(in) struct tm * {
+%typemap(in) struct tm * (struct tm t) {
     SCM tm = $input;
-    struct tm t = {
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 0)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 1)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 2)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 3)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 4)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 5)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 6)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 7)),
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 8)),
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_TM_GMTOFF
-        scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 9)),
-        scm_to_locale_string(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 10)),
-#endif
-    };
+    SCM zone;
+    t.tm_sec = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 0));
+    t.tm_min = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 1));
+    t.tm_hour = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 2));
+    t.tm_mday = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 3));
+    t.tm_mon = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 4));
+    t.tm_year = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 5));
+    t.tm_wday = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 6));
+    t.tm_yday = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 7));
+    t.tm_isdst = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 8));
+%#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_TM_GMTOFF
+    t.tm_gmtoff = scm_to_int(SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 9));
+    zone = SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF(tm, 10);
+    t.tm_zone = SCM_UNBNDP(zone) ? NULL : scm_to_locale_string(zone);
+%#endif
     $1 = &t;
  }
 
@@ -104,15 +104,38 @@ typedef char gchar;
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 6, scm_from_int(t->tm_wday));
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 7, scm_from_int(t->tm_yday));
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 8, scm_from_int(t->tm_isdst));
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_TM_GMTOFF
+%#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_TM_GMTOFF
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 9, scm_from_long(t->tm_gmtoff));
-    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 10, scm_from_locale_string(t->tm_zone));
-#else
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 10, scm_from_locale_string(t->tm_zone?t->tm_zone:"Unset"));
+%#else
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 9, scm_from_long(0));
     SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 10, scm_from_locale_string("GMT"));
-#endif
+%#endif
     $result = tm;
  }
+ 
+%typemap(newfree) struct tm * "gnc_tm_free($1);"
+
+%typemap(argout) struct tm * {
+    struct tm* t = $1;
+    SCM tm = $input;
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 0, scm_from_int(t->tm_sec));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 1, scm_from_int(t->tm_min));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 2, scm_from_int(t->tm_hour));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 3, scm_from_int(t->tm_mday));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 4, scm_from_int(t->tm_mon));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 5, scm_from_int(t->tm_year));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 6, scm_from_int(t->tm_wday));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 7, scm_from_int(t->tm_yday));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 8, scm_from_int(t->tm_isdst));
+%#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_TM_GMTOFF
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 9, scm_from_long(t->tm_gmtoff));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 10, scm_from_locale_string(t->tm_zone?t->tm_zone:"Unset"));
+%#else
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 9, scm_from_long(0));
+    SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET(tm, 10, scm_from_locale_string("GMT"));
+%#endif
+ }
 
 %define GLIST_HELPER_INOUT(ListType, ElemSwigType)
 %typemap(in) ListType * {
diff --git a/src/engine/engine.i b/src/engine/engine.i
index 14c1214e5c..9001eb6b48 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine.i
+++ b/src/engine/engine.i
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ functions. */
 %newobject xaccSplitGetCorrAccountFullName;
 %newobject gnc_numeric_to_string;
 
+%newobject gnc_localtime;
+%newobject gnc_gmtime;
+
 /* Parse the header file to generate wrappers */
 %inline {
   static QofIdType QOF_ID_BOOK_SCM (void) { return QOF_ID_BOOK; }
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ void qof_book_kvp_changed (QofBook *book);
 const char *qof_session_get_url (QofSession *session);
 
 %ignore qof_print_date_time_buff;
+%ignore gnc_tm_free;
 %include <gnc-date.h>
 extern const char *gnc_default_strftime_date_format;