diff --git a/lisp/gnus/nntp.el b/lisp/gnus/nntp.el
index 0e10dfdb8be..0006ef9f5cf 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/nntp.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/nntp.el
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ command whose response triggered the error."
        (prog1
            (nntp-send-command
             "^\\.\r?\n" "NEWGROUPS"
-            (format-time-string "%y%m%d %H%M%S" time)
+            (format-time-string "%y%m%d %H%M%S" time t)
             "GMT")
          (nntp-decode-text))))))