diff --git a/tests/test_cotede.py b/tests/test_cotede.py
index 90c99c5..4ca3fb2 100644
--- a/tests/test_cotede.py
+++ b/tests/test_cotede.py
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ def test_n_levels(self):
 
     def test_datetime(self):
         ''' 
-        check datetime == 1934-08-07 10:22:11
+        check datetime == 1934-08-07 10:22:12
         '''
 
-        truth = datetime(1934, 8, 7, 10, 22, 11)
+        truth = datetime(1934, 8, 7, 10, 22, 12)
         time = self.demoProfile.attributes['datetime']
         assert time == truth, \
-                'time should have been 1934-08-07 10:22:11, instead read %s' \
+                'time should have been 1934-08-07 10:22:12, instead read %s' \
                 % time
 
 
diff --git a/tests/tests.py b/tests/tests.py
index ae37b74..f9de991 100644
--- a/tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/tests.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from datetime import datetime
 from wodpy import wod
 import numpy
 
@@ -142,6 +143,17 @@ def test_time(self):
         assert header_time == 10.37, 'header time should have been 10.37, instead read %f' % header_time
 
 
+    def test_datetime(self):
+        '''
+        check datetime 1934-8-7 10:22:12
+        '''
+
+        d = self.demoProfile.datetime()
+        assert d == datetime(1934, 8, 7, 10, 22, 12), \
+                'time should have been 1934-08-07 10:22:12, instead read %s' \
+                % d
+
+
     def test_probe_type(self):
         '''
         check probe type == 7
diff --git a/wodpy/extra.py b/wodpy/extra.py
index 406a204..316167d 100644
--- a/wodpy/extra.py
+++ b/wodpy/extra.py
@@ -44,20 +44,24 @@ def __init__(self, profile):
             >>> profile = Wod4CoTeDe(fid)
 
         """
-        if type(profile) == WodProfile:
-            self.p = profile
-        else:
+        try:
             self.p = WodProfile(profile)
+        except:
+            self.p = profile
 
         self.attributes = {}
         self.attributes['LATITUDE'] = self.p.latitude()
         self.attributes['LONGITUDE'] = self.p.longitude()
         self.attributes['uid'] = self.p.uid()
-        self.attributes['probe_code'] = int(self.p.probe_type())
-        self.attributes['probe_type'] = probe_type_table[self.p.probe_type()]
+        try:
+            self.attributes['probe_code'] = int(self.p.probe_type())
+            self.attributes['probe_type'] = \
+                    probe_type_table[self.p.probe_type()]
+        except:
+            self.attributes['probe_code'] = None
+            self.attributes['probe_type'] = None
         self.attributes['n_levels'] = self.p.n_levels()
-
-        self.get_datetime()
+        self.attributes['datetime'] = self.p.datetime()
 
         self.data = {}
         # FIXME: pressure is 'almost' equal to depth.
@@ -67,36 +71,14 @@ def __init__(self, profile):
         self.data['TEMP'] = self.p.t()
         self.data['TEMP_QC'] = self.p.t_qc_mask()
         self.data['PSAL'] = self.p.s()
-        self.data['oxygen'] = self.p.oxygen()
-        self.data['silicate'] = self.p.silicate()
-        self.data['phosphate'] = self.p.phosphate()
-        self.data['pH'] = self.p.pH()
+        for v in ['oxygen', 'silicate', 'phosphate', 'pH']:
+            try:
+                exec("self.data['%s'] = self.p.%s()" % (v, v))
+            except:
+                pass
 
     def keys(self):
         return self.data.keys()
 
     def __getitem__(self, item):
         return self.data[item]
-
-    def get_datetime(self):
-        """ Extract datetime from the WOD profile
-
-            This was copied from AutoQC.DummyCNV()
-        """
-        year  = self.p.year()
-        month = self.p.month()
-        day   = self.p.day()
-        if day == 0: day = 15
-        time  = self.p.time()
-        if time is None or time < 0 or time >= 24:
-            hours   = 0
-            minutes = 0
-            seconds = 0
-        else:
-            hours = int(time)
-            minutesf = (time - hours) * 60
-            minutes  = int(minutesf)
-            seconds  = int((minutesf - minutes) * 60)
-
-        self.attributes['datetime'] = datetime(year, month,
-                day, hours, minutes, seconds)
diff --git a/wodpy/wod.py b/wodpy/wod.py
index 9c95412..b03defe 100644
--- a/wodpy/wod.py
+++ b/wodpy/wod.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 import os
 import pandas as pd
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 class WodProfile(object):
     """ Main class to parse a WOD ASCII file
@@ -379,12 +380,29 @@ def month(self):
 
     def day(self):
         """ Returns the day. """
-        return self.primary_header['Day']
+        day = self.primary_header['Day']
+        if day == 0:
+            return
+        else:
+            return day
 
     def time(self):
         """ Returns the time. """
         return self.primary_header['Time']
 
+    def datetime(self):
+        """ Returns the date and time as a datetime object. """
+        time  = self.time()
+        if time is None or time < 0 or time >= 24:
+            time = 0
+
+        try:
+            d = datetime(self.year(), self.month(), self.day()) + \
+                    timedelta(hours=time)
+            return d
+        except:
+            return
+
     def cruise(self):
         """ return the cruise number """
         return self.primary_header['Cruise number']