diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/common/SyncProviderPreferences.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/common/SyncProviderPreferences.java
index d9d86d052..41fdb2f5c 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/common/SyncProviderPreferences.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/common/SyncProviderPreferences.java
@@ -127,12 +127,12 @@ abstract public class SyncProviderPreferences extends TodorooPreferences {
             // last sync was error
             else if(getUtilities().getLastAttemptedSyncDate() != 0) {
                 status = r.getString(R.string.rmilk_status_failed,
-                        DateUtilities.getDateWithTimeFormat(SyncProviderPreferences.this).
-                        format(new Date(getUtilities().getLastAttemptedSyncDate())));
+                        DateUtilities.getDateStringWithTime(SyncProviderPreferences.this,
+                        new Date(getUtilities().getLastAttemptedSyncDate())));
                 if(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate() > 0) {
                     subtitle = r.getString(R.string.rmilk_status_failed_subtitle,
-                            DateUtilities.getDateWithTimeFormat(SyncProviderPreferences.this).
-                            format(new Date(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate())));
+                            DateUtilities.getDateStringWithTime(SyncProviderPreferences.this,
+                            new Date(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate())));
                 }
                 statusColor = Color.rgb(100, 0, 0);
                 preference.setOnPreferenceClickListener(new OnPreferenceClickListener() {
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ abstract public class SyncProviderPreferences extends TodorooPreferences {
                 });
             } else if(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate() > 0) {
                 status = r.getString(R.string.rmilk_status_success,
-                        DateUtilities.getDateWithTimeFormat(SyncProviderPreferences.this).
-                        format(new Date(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate())));
+                        DateUtilities.getDateStringWithTime(SyncProviderPreferences.this,
+                        new Date(getUtilities().getLastSyncDate())));
                 statusColor = Color.rgb(0, 100, 0);
             } else {
                 status = r.getString(R.string.rmilk_status_never);
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/sync/ProducteevSyncProvider.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/sync/ProducteevSyncProvider.java
index 0a9b52ddd..be5bfb904 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/sync/ProducteevSyncProvider.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/sync/ProducteevSyncProvider.java
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.api.TaskContainer;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.common.SyncProvider;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.model.Metadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.model.Task;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevBackgroundService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevLoginActivity;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevLoginActivity.SyncLoginCallback;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevPreferences;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevUtilities;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevLoginActivity.SyncLoginCallback;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.api.ApiResponseParseException;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.api.ApiServiceException;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.api.ApiUtilities;
@@ -168,11 +169,10 @@ public class ProducteevSyncProvider extends SyncProvider<ProducteevTaskContainer
                     ProducteevLoginActivity.setCallback(new SyncLoginCallback() {
                         public String verifyLogin(final Handler syncLoginHandler, String em, String pass) {
                             try {
-                                invoker.authenticate(em, pass);
-                                preferences.setToken(invoker.getToken());
                                 Preferences.setString(R.string.producteev_PPr_email, em);
                                 Preferences.setString(R.string.producteev_PPr_password, pass);
-                                performSync();
+                                context.startService(new Intent(ProducteevBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+                                        context, ProducteevBackgroundService.class));
                                 return null;
                             } catch (Exception e) {
                                 // didn't work