diff --git a/scripts/send_application_on_closure.py b/scripts/send_application_on_closure.py
index 6c432f84..5cde6bb3 100755
--- a/scripts/send_application_on_closure.py
+++ b/scripts/send_application_on_closure.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 from distutils.util import strtobool
 
-
 sys.path.insert(1, ".")
 
 import external_services  # noqa: E402
@@ -41,12 +40,9 @@ def send_incomplete_applications_after_deadline(
     - application_id (str, required if `single_application` is True): The application_id to process.
     """
 
-    current_date_time = (
-        datetime.now().replace(microsecond=0).strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
-    )
-
     fund_rounds = get_fund_round(fund_id, round_id)
-    if current_date_time > fund_rounds.get("deadline"):
+    deadline = datetime.strptime(fund_rounds.get("deadline"), "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
+    if datetime.now() > deadline:
         fund_data = get_fund(fund_id)
         search_params = {
             "status_only": ["NOT_STARTED", "IN_PROGRESS", "COMPLETED"],
diff --git a/tests/test_send_app_on_closure.py b/tests/test_send_app_on_closure.py
index 94846217..a426b1c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_send_app_on_closure.py
+++ b/tests/test_send_app_on_closure.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def test_send_apps_bad_account_id(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def test_send_apps_no_apps(
 
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
-            return_value={"deadline": "2022-01-01 12:00:00"},
+            return_value={"deadline": "2022-01-01T12:00:00"},
         )
 
         result = send_incomplete_applications_after_deadline(fund_id, round_id, True)
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def test_send_apps_send_emails_is_false(
     ):
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
-            return_value={"deadline": "2022-01-01 12:00:00"},
+            return_value={"deadline": "2022-01-01T12:00:00"},
         )
 
         result = send_incomplete_applications_after_deadline(
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def test_send_apps_one_to_send_not_started(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def test_send_single_application(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def test_send_apps_one_to_send_in_progress(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ def test_send_apps_two_to_send(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ def test_send_apps_one_to_send_one_bad_id(
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
             return_value={
-                "deadline": "2022-12-01 12:00:00",
+                "deadline": "2022-12-01T12:00:00",
                 "round_name": "COF R2W2",
             },
         )
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ def test_send_apps_before_deadline(self, mocker, app, mocked_get_fund):
 
         mocker.patch(
             "scripts.send_application_on_closure.get_fund_round",
-            return_value={"deadline": "2025-01-01 12:00:00"},
+            return_value={"deadline": "2025-01-01T12:00:00"},
         )
 
         result = send_incomplete_applications_after_deadline(fund_id, round_id)