diff --git a/src/accessor/grib_accessor_class_julian_date.cc b/src/accessor/grib_accessor_class_julian_date.cc
index fa42ed970..fc535c408 100644
--- a/src/accessor/grib_accessor_class_julian_date.cc
+++ b/src/accessor/grib_accessor_class_julian_date.cc
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ grib_accessor* grib_accessor_julian_date = &_grib_accessor_julian_date;
 void grib_accessor_julian_date_t::init(const long l, grib_arguments* c)
 {
     grib_accessor_double_t::init(l, c);
-    int n          = 0;
     grib_handle* h = grib_handle_of_accessor(this);
+    const int arg_count = c->get_count();
+    ECCODES_ASSERT( arg_count == 2 || arg_count == 6);
 
+    int n = 0;
     year_  = c->get_name(h, n++);
     month_ = c->get_name(h, n++);
 
@@ -200,6 +202,13 @@ int grib_accessor_julian_date_t::unpack_string(char* val, size_t* len)
         ret = grib_get_long(h, hms_, &hms);
         if (ret != GRIB_SUCCESS)
             return ret;
+
+        // ECC-1999: If hms_ is passed in in 'hhmm' format
+        // its largest value would be 2459
+        if (hms < 2500) {
+            hms *= 100; // convert to seconds e.g., 1205 -> 120500
+        }
+
         hour = hms / 10000;
         hms %= 10000;
         minute = hms / 100;
diff --git a/tests/bufr_filter_misc.sh b/tests/bufr_filter_misc.sh
index accdae9b3..710c8e070 100755
--- a/tests/bufr_filter_misc.sh
+++ b/tests/bufr_filter_misc.sh
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ match
 rdbtimeDate=20121030 rdbtimeTime=001019 rdbDateTime=2456230.507164 mystart=2456230.708333 myend=2456230.708333
 rdbDateTime=20121030 001019
 myEndDate=2017-05-22 12:15:23 myEndDateTime=2457896.01068 myEndDate=20170522 myEndTime=121523
-myEndDate=2012-10-30 00:10:19 myEndDateTime=2456230.50716 myEndDate=20121030 myEndTime=1019
+myEndDate=2012-10-30 10:19:00 myEndDateTime=2456230.50716 myEndDate=20121030 myEndTime=1019
 userDateTimeStart=2457896.88347 userDateStart=20170523 userTimeStart=91212 2017/05/23 09-12:12
 userDateTimeStart=2457896.88347 userDateStart=20170523 userTimeStart=91212 20170523 091212
 userDateTimeStart=2457896.88347 userDateStart=20170523 userTimeStart=91212 20170523091212
diff --git a/tests/grib_step.sh b/tests/grib_step.sh
index 274f1f7ab..4a098fd58 100755
--- a/tests/grib_step.sh
+++ b/tests/grib_step.sh
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ grib_check_key_equals $temp "stepRange,startStep,endStep" "14 14 14"
 input=${data_dir}/constant_field.grib2
 grib_check_key_equals $input "dataDate,dataTime,step" "20061205 1200 6"
 grib_check_key_equals $input "validityDate,validityTime" "20061205 1800"
-grib_check_key_equals $input "validityDateTime:s" "20061205 001800"
+grib_check_key_equals $input "validityDateTime:s" "20061205 180000"
 
 # ECC-1704: Key validityTime as string
 # -------------------------------------