diff --git a/cmd/lncli/commands.go b/cmd/lncli/commands.go
index bd2eee06..a7ed48c9 100644
--- a/cmd/lncli/commands.go
+++ b/cmd/lncli/commands.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/chaincfg/chainhash"
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/wire"
@@ -3582,6 +3583,9 @@ func forwardingHistory(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("unable to decode start_time %v", err)
 		}
 		args = args.Tail()
+	default:
+		now := time.Now()
+		startTime = uint64(now.Add(-time.Hour * 24).Unix())
 	}
 
 	switch {
diff --git a/rpcserver.go b/rpcserver.go
index 05abb29c..e4dc4a63 100644
--- a/rpcserver.go
+++ b/rpcserver.go
@@ -4672,13 +4672,8 @@ func (r *rpcServer) ForwardingHistory(ctx context.Context,
 		numEvents uint32
 	)
 
-	// If the start time wasn't specified, we'll default to 24 hours ago.
-	if req.StartTime == 0 {
-		now := time.Now()
-		startTime = now.Add(-time.Hour * 24)
-	} else {
-		startTime = time.Unix(int64(req.StartTime), 0)
-	}
+	// startTime defaults to the Unix epoch (0 unixtime, or midnight 01-01-1970).
+	startTime = time.Unix(int64(req.StartTime), 0)
 
 	// If the end time wasn't specified, assume a default end time of now.
 	if req.EndTime == 0 {