diff --git a/classes/local/outagelib.php b/classes/local/outagelib.php
index a6dceda..57a0e49 100644
--- a/classes/local/outagelib.php
+++ b/classes/local/outagelib.php
@@ -92,22 +92,8 @@ class outagelib {
 
         $default = $config->default_time;
         if ($default) {
-
             // First try natural language parsing.
             $time = strtotime($default, $time);
-
-            // Lean on the Task API to convert the cron syntax to
-            // the next valid outage date and time.
-            $parts = explode(' ', $default);
-            if (count($parts) == 5) {
-                $task = new \core\task\calendar_cron_task();
-                $task->set_minute($parts[0]);
-                $task->set_hour($parts[1]);
-                $task->set_day($parts[2]);
-                $task->set_month($parts[3]);
-                $task->set_day_of_week($parts[4]);
-                $time = $task->get_next_scheduled_time();
-            }
         }
         return $time;
     }
diff --git a/lang/en/auth_outage.php b/lang/en/auth_outage.php
index ae585aa..9f27c96 100644
--- a/lang/en/auth_outage.php
+++ b/lang/en/auth_outage.php
@@ -81,10 +81,7 @@ $string['defaultoutagedurationdescription'] = 'Default duration (in minutes) of
 $string['defaultwarningduration'] = 'Warning duration';
 $string['defaultwarningdurationdescription'] = 'Default warning time (in minutes) for outages.';
 $string['defaulttime'] = 'Default time';
-$string['defaulttimedescription'] = 'The default time for the next outage. This is expressed in either natural language or a cron notation. eg to say that a regular outage window is any Thursday at 7pm either of these work:
- <pre>0 19 * * 4
-next Thursday 7pm</pre>
-See also <a target=_blank href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron#CRON_expression">Cron expressions</a> and <a target=_blank href="https://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.formats.relative.php">Relative dates</a>';
+$string['defaulttimedescription'] = 'The default time for the next outage, expressed in natural language eg "next Thursday 7pm". See <a target=_blank href="https://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.formats.relative.php">PHP relative dates</a>';
 $string['defaulttitle'] = 'Title';
 $string['defaulttitledescription'] = 'Default title for outages. Use {{start}} and {{stop}} placeholders as required.';
 $string['defaulttitlevalue'] = 'System down from {{start}} for {{duration}}';