diff --git a/openstackclient/compute/v2/usage.py b/openstackclient/compute/v2/usage.py
index 3b8bda2d15..c89296794a 100644
--- a/openstackclient/compute/v2/usage.py
+++ b/openstackclient/compute/v2/usage.py
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@ class ListUsage(command.Lister):
         )
 
         date_cli_format = "%Y-%m-%d"
-        date_api_format = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S"
         now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
 
         if parsed_args.start:
@@ -170,8 +169,8 @@ class ListUsage(command.Lister):
 
         usage_list = list(
             compute_client.usages(
-                start=start.strftime(date_api_format),
-                end=end.strftime(date_api_format),
+                start=start,
+                end=end,
                 detailed=True,
             )
         )
@@ -239,7 +238,6 @@ class ShowUsage(command.ShowOne):
         identity_client = self.app.client_manager.identity
         compute_client = self.app.client_manager.sdk_connection.compute
         date_cli_format = "%Y-%m-%d"
-        date_api_format = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S"
         now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
 
         if parsed_args.start:
@@ -265,8 +263,8 @@ class ShowUsage(command.ShowOne):
 
         usage = compute_client.get_usage(
             project=project,
-            start=start.strftime(date_api_format),
-            end=end.strftime(date_api_format),
+            start=start,
+            end=end,
         )
 
         if parsed_args.formatter == 'table':
diff --git a/openstackclient/tests/unit/compute/v2/test_usage.py b/openstackclient/tests/unit/compute/v2/test_usage.py
index ad8a8b5046..9d0ea45ccc 100644
--- a/openstackclient/tests/unit/compute/v2/test_usage.py
+++ b/openstackclient/tests/unit/compute/v2/test_usage.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #   under the License.
 #
 
+import datetime
 from unittest import mock
 
 from openstackclient.compute.v2 import usage as usage_cmds
@@ -94,8 +95,8 @@ class TestUsageList(TestUsage):
 
         self.projects_mock.list.assert_called_with()
         self.compute_sdk_client.usages.assert_called_with(
-            start='2016-11-11T00:00:00',
-            end='2016-12-20T00:00:00',
+            start=datetime.datetime(2016, 11, 11, 0, 0),
+            end=datetime.datetime(2016, 12, 20, 0, 0),
             detailed=True,
         )
 
@@ -190,8 +191,8 @@ class TestUsageShow(TestUsage):
 
         self.compute_sdk_client.get_usage.assert_called_with(
             project=self.project.id,
-            start='2016-11-11T00:00:00',
-            end='2016-12-20T00:00:00',
+            start=datetime.datetime(2016, 11, 11, 0, 0),
+            end=datetime.datetime(2016, 12, 20, 0, 0),
         )
 
         self.assertEqual(self.columns, columns)