diff --git a/src/scales/scale.time.js b/src/scales/scale.time.js
index b57a09113..1a2fccf0d 100644
--- a/src/scales/scale.time.js
+++ b/src/scales/scale.time.js
@@ -299,9 +299,11 @@ module.exports = function(Chart) {
 		// Function to format an individual tick mark
 		tickFormatFunction: function tickFormatFunction(tick, index, ticks) {
 			var formattedTick = tick.format(this.displayFormat);
+			var tickOpts = this.options.ticks;
+			var callback = helpers.getValueOrDefault(tickOpts.callback, tickOpts.userCallback);
 
-			if (this.options.ticks.userCallback) {
-				return this.options.ticks.userCallback(formattedTick, index, ticks);
+			if (callback) {
+				return callback(formattedTick, index, ticks);
 			} else {
 				return formattedTick;
 			}