diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index 0d1b9576..b0d20aff 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -956,13 +956,6 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 					DO_JUMP;
 				}
 			}
-			OBJ(format_time) {
-				char buf[max_user_text];
-
-				generate_text_internal(buf, max_user_text, *obj->sub, cur);
-				obj->data.s = buf;
-				print_format_time(obj, p, p_max_size);
-			}
 			OBJ(nodename) {
 				snprintf(p, p_max_size, "%s", cur->uname_s.nodename);
 			}
diff --git a/src/core.c b/src/core.c
index c48a6399..1bbd382f 100644
--- a/src/core.c
+++ b/src/core.c
@@ -826,6 +826,7 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 	END OBJ_ARG(format_time, 0, "format_time needs a pid as argument")
 		obj->sub = malloc(sizeof(struct text_object));
 		extract_variable_text_internal(obj->sub, arg);
+		obj->callbacks.print = &print_format_time;
 	END OBJ(nodename, 0)
 	END OBJ_ARG(cmdline_to_pid, 0, "cmdline_to_pid needs a command line as argument")
 		scan_cmdline_to_pid_arg(obj, arg, free_at_crash);
diff --git a/src/timeinfo.c b/src/timeinfo.c
index f48d9b78..8a7255dd 100644
--- a/src/timeinfo.c
+++ b/src/timeinfo.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ void free_tztime(struct text_object *obj)
 
 //all chars after the ending " and between the seconds and the starting " are silently
 //ignored, this is wanted behavior, not a bug, so don't "fix" this.
-void print_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, unsigned int p_max_size) {
+static void do_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, unsigned int p_max_size) {
 	double seconds;
 	char *currentchar, *temp;
 	unsigned int output_length = 0;
@@ -305,3 +305,13 @@ void print_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, unsigned int p_max_size
 		NORM_ERR("$format_time didn't receive a time in seconds as first argument")
 	}
 }
+
+void print_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
+{
+	char buf[max_user_text];
+
+	generate_text_internal(buf, max_user_text, *obj->sub, &info);
+	obj->data.s = buf;
+	do_format_time(obj, p, p_max_size);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/timeinfo.h b/src/timeinfo.h
index 7988cda9..88fa6ed2 100644
--- a/src/timeinfo.h
+++ b/src/timeinfo.h
@@ -45,11 +45,10 @@ void scan_tztime(struct text_object *, const char *);
 void print_time(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_utime(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_tztime(struct text_object *, char *, int);
+void print_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size);
 
 /* free object data */
 void free_time(struct text_object *);
 void free_tztime(struct text_object *);
 
 #endif /* _TIMEINFO_H */
-
-void print_format_time(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size);