diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/preferences-profile.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/preferences-profile.js.es6
index 7b794ef681b..b56f1d7d786 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/preferences-profile.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/preferences-profile.js.es6
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import RestrictedUserRoute from "discourse/routes/restricted-user";
 export default RestrictedUserRoute.extend({
   showFooter: true,
   setupController(controller, model) {
-    model.user_option.timezone =
-      model.user_option.timezone || moment.tz.guess();
+    if (!model.user_option.timezone) {
+      Ember.set(model, "user_option.timezone", moment.tz.guess());
+    }
+
     controller.set("model", model);
   }
 });