diff --git a/commands/version.go b/commands/version.go
index b38393357..0fdffba14 100644
--- a/commands/version.go
+++ b/commands/version.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 
 	"bitbucket.org/kardianos/osext"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 var timeLayout string // the layout for time.Time
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ var version = &cobra.Command{
 	Short: "Print the version number of Hugo",
 	Long:  `All software has versions. This is Hugo's`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		InitializeConfig()
 		if buildDate == "" {
 			setBuildDate() // set the build date from executable's mdate
 		} else {
@@ -70,39 +68,12 @@ func setBuildDate() {
 		return
 	}
 	t := fi.ModTime()
-	buildDate = t.Format(getDateFormat())
+	buildDate = t.Format(time.RFC3339)
 }
 
 // formatBuildDate formats the buildDate according to the value in
 // .Params.DateFormat, if it's set.
 func formatBuildDate() {
 	t, _ := time.Parse("2006-01-02T15:04:05", buildDate)
-	buildDate = t.Format(getDateFormat())
-}
-
-// getDateFormat gets the dateFormat value from Params. The dateFormat should
-// be a valid time layout. If it isn't set, time.RFC3339 is used.
-func getDateFormat() string {
-	params := viper.Get("params")
-	if params == nil {
-		return time.RFC3339
-	}
-
-	//	var typMapIfaceIface = reflect.TypeOf(map[interface{}{}]interface{}{})
-	//	var typMapStringIface = reflect.TypeOf(map[string]interface{}{})
-	parms := map[string]interface{}{}
-	switch params.(type) {
-	case map[interface{}]interface{}:
-		for k, v := range params.(map[interface{}]interface{}) {
-			parms[k.(string)] = v
-		}
-	case map[string]interface{}:
-		parms = params.(map[string]interface{})
-	}
-
-	layout := parms["DateFormat"]
-	if layout == nil || layout == "" {
-		return time.RFC3339
-	}
-	return layout.(string)
+	buildDate = t.Format(time.RFC3339)
 }
diff --git a/commands/version_test.go b/commands/version_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index b530efd6e..000000000
--- a/commands/version_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-package commands
-
-import (
-	"io/ioutil"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
-)
-
-// config json
-var JSONConfig = []byte(`{
-	"params": {
-		"DateFormat": "Jan 2 2006"
-	}		
-}`)
-
-// config toml
-var TOMLConfig = []byte(`
-[params]
-DateFormat =  "Jan 2 2006"
-`)
-
-// config yaml
-var YAMLConfig = []byte(`
-params:
-  DateFormat: "Jan 2 2006"
-`)
-
-var config map[string]interface{} = make(map[string]interface{})
-
-func TestGetDateFormatJSON(t *testing.T) {
-	jsonFile, _ := ioutil.TempFile("", "config.json")
-	fname := jsonFile.Name()
-	jsonFile.Write(JSONConfig)
-	jsonFile.Close()
-	viper.SetConfigFile(fname)
-	viper.SetConfigType("json")
-	viper.ReadInConfig()
-
-	dateFmt := getDateFormat()
-	assert.Equal(t, "Jan 2 2006", dateFmt)
-}
-
-func TestGetDateFormatTOML(t *testing.T) {
-	viper.Reset()
-	tomlFile, _ := ioutil.TempFile("", "config.toml")
-	fname := tomlFile.Name()
-	tomlFile.Write(TOMLConfig)
-	tomlFile.Close()
-	viper.SetConfigFile(fname)
-	viper.SetConfigType("toml")
-	viper.ReadInConfig()
-
-	dateFmt := getDateFormat()
-	assert.Equal(t, "Jan 2 2006", dateFmt)
-}
-
-func TestGetDateFormatYAML(t *testing.T) {
-	viper.Reset()
-	yamlFile, _ := ioutil.TempFile("", "config.yaml")
-	fname := yamlFile.Name()
-	yamlFile.Write(YAMLConfig)
-	yamlFile.Close()
-	viper.SetConfigFile(fname)
-	viper.SetConfigType("yaml")
-	viper.ReadInConfig()
-
-	dateFmt := getDateFormat()
-	assert.Equal(t, "Jan 2 2006", dateFmt)
-}