diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_api.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_api.py
index f75b85e71b..6b728ed5e5 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_api.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ class MockGeneratedCertificate(object):
         self.course_id = course_id
         self.mode = mode
         self.status = status
+        self.created_date = datetime.now(pytz.UTC)
+        self.modified_date = datetime.now(pytz.UTC)
 
     def is_valid(self):
         """
@@ -149,18 +151,19 @@ class CertificatesApiTestCase(TestCase):
     ):
         self.course.self_paced = is_self_paced
         with configure_waffle_namespace(feature_enabled):
-            maybe_avail = self.course.certificate_available_date if uses_avail_date else self.certificate.modified_date
 
             # With no available_date set, both return modified_date
-            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course))
-            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course))
+            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
+            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
 
             # With an available date set in the past, both return the available date (if configured)
             self.course.certificate_available_date = datetime(2017, 2, 1, tzinfo=pytz.UTC)
-            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course))
-            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course))
+            maybe_avail = self.course.certificate_available_date if uses_avail_date else self.certificate.modified_date
+            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
+            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
 
             # With a future available date, they each return a different date
-            self.course.certificate_available_date = datetime.max
-            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course))
-            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course))
+            self.course.certificate_available_date = datetime.max.replace(tzinfo=pytz.UTC)
+            maybe_avail = self.course.certificate_available_date if uses_avail_date else self.certificate.modified_date
+            self.assertEqual(maybe_avail, api.available_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
+            self.assertEqual(self.certificate.modified_date, api.display_date_for_certificate(self.course, self.certificate))
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/programs/tasks/v1/tests/test_tasks.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/programs/tasks/v1/tests/test_tasks.py
index 3366f002d9..02994e0916 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/programs/tasks/v1/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/programs/tasks/v1/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 Tests for programs celery tasks.
 """
 import json
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import ddt
 import httpretty
 import mock
+import pytz
+from waffle.testutils import override_switch
 from celery.exceptions import MaxRetriesExceededError
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test import override_settings, TestCase
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ from edx_rest_api_client.client import EdxRestApiClient
 
 from lms.djangoapps.certificates.tests.factories import GeneratedCertificateFactory
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.catalog.tests.mixins import CatalogIntegrationMixin
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.certificates.config import waffle
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.tests.factories import CourseOverviewFactory
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.credentials.tests.mixins import CredentialsApiConfigMixin
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.programs.tasks.v1 import tasks
@@ -406,6 +409,7 @@ class PostCourseCertificateTestCase(TestCase):
 @skip_unless_lms
 @mock.patch(TASKS_MODULE + '.post_course_certificate')
 @override_settings(CREDENTIALS_SERVICE_USERNAME='test-service-username')
+@override_switch(waffle.WAFFLE_NAMESPACE + '.' + waffle.AUTO_CERTIFICATE_GENERATION, True)
 class AwardCourseCertificatesTestCase(CredentialsApiConfigMixin, TestCase):
     """
     Test the award_course_certificate celery task
@@ -414,7 +418,7 @@ class AwardCourseCertificatesTestCase(CredentialsApiConfigMixin, TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(AwardCourseCertificatesTestCase, self).setUp()
 
-        self.available_date = datetime.datetime.max
+        self.available_date = datetime.now(pytz.UTC) + timedelta(days=1)
         self.course = CourseOverviewFactory.create(
             self_paced=True,  # Any option to allow the certificate to be viewable for the course
             certificate_available_date=self.available_date,
@@ -442,6 +446,18 @@ class AwardCourseCertificatesTestCase(CredentialsApiConfigMixin, TestCase):
         call_args, _ = mock_post_course_certificate.call_args
         self.assertEqual(call_args[1], self.student.username)
         self.assertEqual(call_args[2], self.certificate)
+        self.assertEqual(call_args[3], self.certificate.modified_date)
+
+    def test_award_course_certificates_available_date(self, mock_post_course_certificate):
+        """
+        Tests the API POST method is called with available date when the course is not self paced
+        """
+        self.course.self_paced = False
+        self.course.save()
+        tasks.award_course_certificate.delay(self.student.username, str(self.course.id)).get()
+        call_args, _ = mock_post_course_certificate.call_args
+        self.assertEqual(call_args[1], self.student.username)
+        self.assertEqual(call_args[2], self.certificate)
         self.assertEqual(call_args[3], self.available_date)
 
     def test_award_course_cert_not_called_if_disabled(self, mock_post_course_certificate):