diff --git a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/GanttDiagram.java b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/GanttDiagram.java
index 3690ed306..fdc8a18c0 100644
--- a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/GanttDiagram.java
+++ b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/GanttDiagram.java
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ public class GanttDiagram extends TitledDiagram implements ToTaskDraw, WithSprit
 		return colorSet;
 	}
 
-	public void setStartingDate(Day start) {
+	public void setProjectStartingDate(Day start) {
 		openClose.setStartingDay(start);
 		this.min = start;
 	}
diff --git a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskEndsAbsolute.java b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskEndsAbsolute.java
index 101c186de..484f7a41b 100644
--- a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskEndsAbsolute.java
+++ b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskEndsAbsolute.java
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ public class SentenceTaskEndsAbsolute extends SentenceSimple {
 	public CommandExecutionResult execute(GanttDiagram project, Object subject, Object complement) {
 		final Task task = (Task) subject;
 		final Day end = (Day) complement;
-//		final Day startingDate = project.getStartingDate();
-//		if (startingDate == null) {
-//			return CommandExecutionResult.error("No starting date for the project");
-//		}
+		final Day startingDate = project.getStartingDate();
+		if (startingDate.getAbsoluteDayNum() == 0)
+			return CommandExecutionResult.error("No starting date for the project");
 		task.setEnd(end);
+
 		return CommandExecutionResult.ok();
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStarts.java b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStarts.java
index 029b7d625..8737f4020 100644
--- a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStarts.java
+++ b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStarts.java
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ public class SentenceTaskStarts extends SentenceSimple {
 		HColor color = null;
 		when = (TaskInstant) complement;
 		task.setStart(when.getInstantPrecise());
-		if (when.isTask()) {
+		if (when.isTask())
 			project.addContraint(new GanttConstraint(project.getIHtmlColorSet(), project.getCurrentStyleBuilder(), when,
 					new TaskInstant(task, TaskAttribute.START), color));
-		}
+
 		return CommandExecutionResult.ok();
 
 	};
diff --git a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStartsAbsolute.java b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStartsAbsolute.java
index daa316ebe..e535412e0 100644
--- a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStartsAbsolute.java
+++ b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SentenceTaskStartsAbsolute.java
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ public class SentenceTaskStartsAbsolute extends SentenceSimple {
 	public CommandExecutionResult execute(GanttDiagram project, Object subject, Object complement) {
 		final Task task = (Task) subject;
 		final Day start = (Day) complement;
-//		final Day startingDate = project.getStartingDate();
-//		if (startingDate == null) {
-//			return CommandExecutionResult.error("No starting date for the project");
-//		}
+		final Day startingDate = project.getStartingDate();
+		if (startingDate.getAbsoluteDayNum() == 0)
+			project.setProjectStartingDate(start);
+
 		task.setStart(start);
 		return CommandExecutionResult.ok();
 	}
diff --git a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SubjectProject.java b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SubjectProject.java
index a31264131..7b7a29c4d 100644
--- a/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SubjectProject.java
+++ b/src/net/sourceforge/plantuml/project/lang/SubjectProject.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class SubjectProject implements Subject {
 		public CommandExecutionResult execute(GanttDiagram project, Object subject, Object complement) {
 			final Day start = (Day) complement;
 			assert project == subject;
-			project.setStartingDate(start);
+			project.setProjectStartingDate(start);
 			return CommandExecutionResult.ok();
 		}