diff --git a/src/routes/index.js b/src/routes/index.js
index 30de34e7..4887163f 100644
--- a/src/routes/index.js
+++ b/src/routes/index.js
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
       // format Joi validation errors
       return res.status(400).json({
         message: 'API Validation error',
-        errors: err.error.details.map((detail) => detail.message),
+        errors: err.error.details.map((detail) => {
+          console.log(detail);
+          return _.get(detail, 'context.message', detail.message);
+        }),
       });
     }
 
diff --git a/src/validations/labels.validations.js b/src/validations/labels.validations.js
index 915d72b9..5b7604aa 100644
--- a/src/validations/labels.validations.js
+++ b/src/validations/labels.validations.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import Joi from 'joi';
 
 const baseSchema = {
   label: Joi.string().required(),
-  creditingPeriodStartDate: Joi.date().required(),
-  creditingPeriodEndDate: Joi.date().required(),
-  validityStartDate: Joi.date().required(),
-  validityPeriodEndDate: Joi.date().required(),
+  creditingPeriodStartDate: Joi.string().required(),
+  creditingPeriodEndDate: Joi.string().required(),
+  validityPeriodStartDate: Joi.string().required(),
+  validityPeriodEndDate: Joi.string().required(),
   unitQuantity: Joi.number().integer().required(),
   labelLink: Joi.string().required(),
 };