diff --git a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
index 8e0b30d1a..13e06ea5c 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/Units/Units.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp>
 
+#include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time.hpp>
+
 namespace Opm
 {
     AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::
     AdaptiveSimulatorTimer( const SimulatorTimerInterface& timer,
                             const double lastStepTaken,
                             const double maxTimeStep )
-        : start_date_time_( timer.startDateTime() )
+        : start_date_time_( std::make_shared<boost::posix_time::ptime>(timer.startDateTime()) )
         , start_time_( timer.simulationTimeElapsed() )
         , total_time_( start_time_ + timer.currentStepLength() )
         , report_step_( timer.reportStepNum() )
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ AdaptiveSimulatorTimer& AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::operator++ ()
 
     boost::posix_time::ptime AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::startDateTime() const
     {
-        return start_date_time_;
+        return *start_date_time_;
     }
 
     /// return copy of object
diff --git a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
index a813d6739..ff7394fba 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <memory>
 #include <numeric>
 
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimerInterface.hpp>
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ namespace Opm
         virtual std::unique_ptr< SimulatorTimerInterface > clone() const;
 
     protected:
-        const boost::posix_time::ptime start_date_time_;
+        std::shared_ptr<boost::posix_time::ptime> start_date_time_;
         const double start_time_;
         const double total_time_;
         const int report_step_;