diff --git a/pyclarity_lims/descriptors.py b/pyclarity_lims/descriptors.py
index 843b747b..a35a1d38 100644
--- a/pyclarity_lims/descriptors.py
+++ b/pyclarity_lims/descriptors.py
@@ -748,10 +748,18 @@ def _parse_element(self, element, lims, **kwargs):
         queue_date = None
         if qt is not None:
             h, s, t = qt.text.rpartition(':')
+            qt = h + t
+            microsec = ''
+            if '.' in qt:
+                microsec = '.%f'
+            date_format = '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S' + microsec
             try:
-                queue_date = datetime.datetime.strptime(h+t, '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f%z')
+                queue_date = datetime.datetime.strptime(qt, date_format + '%z')
             except ValueError:
-                queue_date = datetime.datetime.strptime(h + t, '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z')
+                # support for python 2.7 ignore time zone
+                # use python 3 for timezone support
+                qt = qt.split('+')[0]
+                queue_date = datetime.datetime.strptime(qt, date_format)
         list.append(self, (input, queue_date, location))
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_descriptors.py b/tests/test_descriptors.py
index da331255..c4e7094e 100644
--- a/tests/test_descriptors.py
+++ b/tests/test_descriptors.py
@@ -756,28 +756,45 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.lims = Lims('http://testgenologics.com:4040', username='test', password='password')
         self.instance1 = Mock(root=et, lims=self.lims)
 
+    def get_queue_art(self, art_id, pos, microsec, time_delta):
+        if version_info[0] == 2:
+            return (
+                Artifact(self.lims, id=art_id),
+                datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, microsec),
+                (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), pos)
+            )
+        else:
+            return (
+                Artifact(self.lims, id=art_id),
+                datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, microsec, tzinfo=datetime.timezone(time_delta)),
+                (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), pos)
+            )
+
     def test_parse(self):
         queued_artifacts = QueuedArtifactList(self.instance1)
-        qart = (
-            Artifact(self.lims, id='a1'),
-            datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, 50000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc),
-            (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:1')
-        )
+        # qart = (
+        #     Artifact(self.lims, id='a1'),
+        #     datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, 50000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc),
+        #     (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:1')
+        # )
+        qart = self.get_queue_art('a1', 'A:1', 50000, datetime.timedelta(0, 0))
         assert queued_artifacts[0] == qart
-        qart = (
-            Artifact(self.lims, id='a2'),
-            datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, 200000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(0, 3600))),
-            (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:2')
-        )
+        # qart = (
+        #     Artifact(self.lims, id='a2'),
+        #     datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 10, 200000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(second=3600))),
+        #     (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:2')
+        # )
+        qart = self.get_queue_art('a2', 'A:2', 200000, datetime.timedelta(0, 3600))
         assert queued_artifacts[1] == qart
 
     def test_set(self):
         queued_artifacts = QueuedArtifactList(self.instance1)
-        qart = (
-            Artifact(self.lims, id='a3'),
-            datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 11, 50000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc),
-            (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:3')
-        )
+        # qart = (
+        #     Artifact(self.lims, id='a3'),
+        #     datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 1, 10, 11, 50000, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc),
+        #     (Container(self.lims, id='c1'), 'A:3')
+        # )
+        qart = self.get_queue_art('a1', 'A:3',  50000, datetime.timedelta(0, 0))
         with pytest.raises(NotImplementedError):
             queued_artifacts.append(qart)