diff --git a/recipes/wsj.recipe b/recipes/wsj.recipe
index fc15961770..853fd44140 100644
--- a/recipes/wsj.recipe
+++ b/recipes/wsj.recipe
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class WSJ(BasicNewsRecipe):
         root = self.index_to_soup(self.wsj_itp_page, as_tree=True)
         for span in CSSSelect('span.date-date')(root):
             if span.text and span.text.strip():
-                self.timefmt = span.text
+                self.timefmt = ' [%s]' % span.text.strip()
                 break
         for a in CSSSelect('div.itpSectionHeaderPdf a[href]')(root):
             self.cover_url = a.get('href')
diff --git a/recipes/wsj_free.recipe b/recipes/wsj_free.recipe
index fa609f438f..65d9c062a4 100644
--- a/recipes/wsj_free.recipe
+++ b/recipes/wsj_free.recipe
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class WSJ(BasicNewsRecipe):
         root = self.index_to_soup(self.wsj_itp_page, as_tree=True)
         for span in CSSSelect('span.date-date')(root):
             if span.text and span.text.strip():
-                self.timefmt = span.text
+                self.timefmt = ' [%s]' % span.text.strip()
                 break
         for a in CSSSelect('div.itpSectionHeaderPdf a[href]')(root):
             self.cover_url = a.get('href')