diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 9dd1ef381..9401ac4e5 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Airbase 140
+
+* Pass `user.timezone` in tests as a system property, not as a JVM argument
+  - It restores the ability to run some timezone-sensitive tests
+    from within IntelliJ IDEA
+
 Airbase 139
 
 * Replace checkstyle illegal imports with `RestrictImports` enforcer rules
diff --git a/airbase/pom.xml b/airbase/pom.xml
index 0b6963c27..aa9e93e4e 100644
--- a/airbase/pom.xml
+++ b/airbase/pom.xml
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@
                     <configuration>
                         <systemPropertyVariables>
                             <sun.jnu.encoding>${project.build.sourceEncoding}</sun.jnu.encoding>
+                            <user.timezone>${air.test.timezone}</user.timezone>
                             <java.awt.headless>true</java.awt.headless>
                             <java.util.logging.SimpleFormatter.format>%1$tY-%1$tm-%1$tdT%1$tH:%1$tM:%1$tS.%1$tL%1$tz %4$s %5$s%6$s%n</java.util.logging.SimpleFormatter.format>
                         </systemPropertyVariables>
@@ -510,9 +511,7 @@
                         <argLine>
                             @{argLine}
 
-                            <!-- Pass the following three directly to the JVM,
-                                 because systemPropertyVariables are not passed correctly by Maven -->
-                            -Duser.timezone=${air.test.timezone}
+                            <!-- Pass the following properties directly to the JVM, because they are not passed correctly by Surefire: -->
                             -Duser.language=${air.test.language}
                             -Duser.region=${air.test.region}