diff --git a/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/datatable-cell.component.spec.ts b/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/datatable-cell.component.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b72ab7b9f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/datatable-cell.component.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*!
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2016 Alfresco Software, Ltd.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { DateCellComponent } from './date-cell.component';
+
+describe('DataTableCellComponent', () => {
+    it('should use medium format by default', () => {
+        const component = new DateCellComponent(null);
+        expect(component.format).toBe('medium');
+    });
+
+    it('should use column format', () => {
+        const component = new DateCellComponent(null);
+        component.column = {
+            key: 'created',
+            type: 'date',
+            format: 'longTime'
+        };
+
+        component.ngOnInit();
+        expect(component.format).toBe('longTime');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/date-cell.component.ts b/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/date-cell.component.ts
index 239b3c4352..d3fe7344d1 100644
--- a/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/date-cell.component.ts
+++ b/lib/core/datatable/components/datatable/date-cell.component.ts
@@ -15,38 +15,52 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { Component, ViewEncapsulation } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, ViewEncapsulation, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { DataTableCellComponent } from './datatable-cell.component';
-import { UserPreferencesService, UserPreferenceValues } from '../../../services/user-preferences.service';
+import {
+    UserPreferencesService,
+    UserPreferenceValues
+} from '../../../services/user-preferences.service';
 
 @Component({
     selector: 'adf-date-cell',
 
     template: `
         <ng-container>
-            <span title="{{ tooltip | date:'medium' }}" *ngIf="column?.format === 'timeAgo' else standard_date">
+            <span title="{{ tooltip | date:'medium' }}" *ngIf="format === 'timeAgo' else standard_date">
                 {{ value | adfTimeAgo: currentLocale }}
             </span>
         </ng-container>
         <ng-template #standard_date>
-            <span title="{{ tooltip | date:'medium' }}">
-                {{ value | date:'medium' }}
+            <span title="{{ tooltip | date:format }}">
+                {{ value | date:format }}
             </span>
         </ng-template>
     `,
     encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
     host: { class: 'adf-date-cell' }
 })
-export class DateCellComponent extends DataTableCellComponent {
-
+export class DateCellComponent extends DataTableCellComponent implements OnInit {
     currentLocale;
+    format = 'medium';
 
     constructor(userPreferenceService: UserPreferencesService) {
         super();
 
-        userPreferenceService.select(UserPreferenceValues.Locale).subscribe((locale) => {
-            this.currentLocale = locale;
-         });
+        if (userPreferenceService) {
+            userPreferenceService
+                .select(UserPreferenceValues.Locale)
+                .subscribe(locale => {
+                    this.currentLocale = locale;
+                });
+        }
     }
 
+    ngOnInit() {
+        super.ngOnInit();
+
+        if (this.column) {
+            this.format = this.column.format || 'medium';
+        }
+    }
 }