diff --git a/tdclient/schedule_api.py b/tdclient/schedule_api.py
index b1c1de1..8d9ec3b 100644
--- a/tdclient/schedule_api.py
+++ b/tdclient/schedule_api.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def create_schedule(self, name, params=None):
             if code != 200:
                 self.raise_error("Create schedule failed", res, body)
             js = self.checked_json(body, ["start"])
-            return self._parsedate(js["start"], "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
+            return self._parsedate(self.get_or_else(js, "start", "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z"), "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
 
     def delete_schedule(self, name):
         """
diff --git a/tdclient/test/schedule_api_test.py b/tdclient/test/schedule_api_test.py
index cc4a4b3..b7f18bb 100644
--- a/tdclient/test/schedule_api_test.py
+++ b/tdclient/test/schedule_api_test.py
@@ -34,6 +34,25 @@ def test_create_schedule_success():
     assert start.second == 51
     assert start.utcoffset().seconds == 0 # UTC
 
+def test_create_schedule_without_cron_success():
+    td = api.API("APIKEY")
+    # TODO: should be replaced by wire dump
+    body = b"""
+        {
+            "start": null
+        }
+    """
+    td.post = mock.MagicMock(return_value=make_response(200, body))
+    start = td.create_schedule("bar", {"type": "presto", "cron": ""})
+    td.post.assert_called_with("/v3/schedule/create/bar", {"type": "presto", "cron": ""})
+    assert start.year == 1970
+    assert start.month == 1
+    assert start.day == 1
+    assert start.hour == 0
+    assert start.minute == 0
+    assert start.second == 0
+    assert start.utcoffset().seconds == 0 # UTC
+
 def test_delete_schedule_success():
     td = api.API("APIKEY")
     # TODO: should be replaced by wire dump