diff --git a/examples/autoinstall.yaml b/examples/autoinstall.yaml
index 605c86ff..51aff9e2 100644
--- a/examples/autoinstall.yaml
+++ b/examples/autoinstall.yaml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ snaps:
   - name: etcd
     channel: 3.2/stable
 updates: all
-# timezone: Pacific/Guam
+timezone: Pacific/Guam
 storage:
   config:
   - {type: disk, ptable: gpt, path: /dev/vdb, wipe: superblock, preserve: false, grub_device: true, id: disk-1}
diff --git a/scripts/runtests.sh b/scripts/runtests.sh
index 3e175ef4..4ee31e7b 100755
--- a/scripts/runtests.sh
+++ b/scripts/runtests.sh
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ python3 scripts/check-yaml-fields.py .subiquity/subiquity-curtin-install.conf \
         storage.config[-1].options='"errors=remount-ro"'
 python3 scripts/check-yaml-fields.py <(python3 scripts/check-yaml-fields.py .subiquity/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-installer.cfg datasource.None.userdata_raw) \
         locale='"en_GB.UTF-8"' \
+        timezone='"Pacific/Guam"' \
         'snap.commands=[snap install --channel=3.2/stable etcd]'
-        # timezone='"Pacific/Guam"'
 grep -q 'finish: subiquity/Install/install/postinstall/install_package1: SUCCESS: installing package1' \
      .subiquity/subiquity-server-debug.log
 grep -q 'finish: subiquity/Install/install/postinstall/install_package2: SUCCESS: installing package2' \
diff --git a/subiquity/server/controllers/timezone.py b/subiquity/server/controllers/timezone.py
index 5eb2cec5..64a0a611 100644
--- a/subiquity/server/controllers/timezone.py
+++ b/subiquity/server/controllers/timezone.py
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ def generate_possible_tzs():
     return special_keys + real_tzs
 
 
-def timedatectl_settz(tz):
+def timedatectl_settz(app, tz):
     tzcmd = ['timedatectl', 'set-timezone', tz]
+    if app.opts.dry_run:
+        tzcmd = ['sleep', str(1/app.scale_factor)]
+
     try:
         subprocess.run(tzcmd, universal_newlines=True)
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as cpe:
@@ -59,7 +62,7 @@ def timedatectl_gettz():
         log.error('Failed to get live system timezone: %r', cpe)
     except IndexError:
         log.error('Failed to acquire system time zone')
-    log.debug('Failed to fine Time zone in timedatectl output')
+    log.debug('Failed to find Time zone in timedatectl output')
     return 'Etc/UTC'
 
 
@@ -102,19 +105,20 @@ class TimeZoneController(SubiquityController):
 
     def set_system_timezone(self):
         if self.model.should_set_tz:
-            timedatectl_settz(self.model.timezone)
+            timedatectl_settz(self.app, self.model.timezone)
 
     async def GET(self) -> TimeZoneInfo:
+        # if someone POSTed before, return that
         if self.model.timezone:
             return TimeZoneInfo(self.model.timezone,
                                 self.model.got_from_geoip)
 
-        # a bare call to GET() is equivalent to autoinstall "timezone: geoip"
-        self.deserialize('geoip')
-        tz = self.model.timezone
-        if not tz:
-            tz = timedatectl_gettz()
-        return TimeZoneInfo(tz, self.model.got_from_geoip)
+        # GET requests geoip results
+        if self.app.geoip.timezone:
+            return TimeZoneInfo(self.app.geoip.timezone, True)
+
+        # geoip wasn't ready for some reason, so ask the system
+        return TimeZoneInfo(timedatectl_gettz(), False)
 
     async def POST(self, tz: str):
         self.deserialize(tz)
diff --git a/subiquity/tests/test_timezonecontroller.py b/subiquity/tests/test_timezonecontroller.py
index fff2ba53..5fba2a47 100644
--- a/subiquity/tests/test_timezonecontroller.py
+++ b/subiquity/tests/test_timezonecontroller.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class TestTimeZoneController(SubiTestCase):
             cloudconfig = {}
             if self.tzc.model.should_set_tz:
                 cloudconfig = {'timezone': tz.timezone}
-                tdc_settz.assert_called_with(tz.timezone)
+                tdc_settz.assert_called_with(self.tzc.app, tz.timezone)
             self.assertEqual(cloudconfig, self.tzc.model.make_cloudconfig(),
                              self.tzc.model)
 
@@ -93,3 +93,17 @@ class TestTimeZoneController(SubiTestCase):
         for b in bads:
             with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
                 self.tzc.deserialize(b)
+
+    @mock.patch('subprocess.run')
+    @mock.patch('subiquity.server.controllers.timezone.timedatectl_gettz')
+    def test_set_tz_escape_dryrun(self, tdc_gettz, subprocess_run):
+        tdc_gettz.return_value = tz_utc
+        self.tzc.app.dry_run = True
+        self.tzc.deserialize('geoip')
+        self.assertEqual('sleep', subprocess_run.call_args.args[0][0])
+
+    @mock.patch('subiquity.server.controllers.timezone.timedatectl_settz')
+    def test_get_tz_should_not_set(self, tdc_settz):
+        run_coro(self.tzc.GET())
+        self.assertFalse(self.tzc.model.should_set_tz)
+        tdc_settz.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/subiquitycore/tests/mocks.py b/subiquitycore/tests/mocks.py
index e27b0873..51572b33 100644
--- a/subiquitycore/tests/mocks.py
+++ b/subiquitycore/tests/mocks.py
@@ -39,4 +39,7 @@ def make_app(model=None):
     app.next_screen = mock.Mock()
     app.prev_screen = mock.Mock()
     app.hub = MessageHub()
+    app.opts = mock.Mock()
+    app.opts.dry_run = True
+    app.scale_factor = 1000
     return app