diff --git a/geomagio/TimeseriesUtility.py b/geomagio/TimeseriesUtility.py
index 6b77e28886a2966e3b7406d2f66f0e44787d1367..459287dbe69add0b6dc98da98cd56d8395e18bd2 100644
--- a/geomagio/TimeseriesUtility.py
+++ b/geomagio/TimeseriesUtility.py
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ def create_empty_trace(
         trace_starttime += (delta - 60) / 2
         if trace_starttime > endtime:
             sys.stderr.write(
-                "Starttime greater than endtime, shifting endtime to next sample"
+                "Starttime greater than endtime, adjusting request to one sample"
             )
-            endtime = trace_starttime + delta
+            endtime = trace_starttime
     stats.starttime = trace_starttime
     stats.delta = delta
     # Calculate number of valid samples up to or before endtime
diff --git a/test/TimeseriesUtility_test.py b/test/TimeseriesUtility_test.py
index f769ef3f23efc79acfe09bd06544f6ca8e69eeea..0259364ed35d9a5ce0b58a4b7d6379a7dd6e48ec 100644
--- a/test/TimeseriesUtility_test.py
+++ b/test/TimeseriesUtility_test.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def test_create_empty_trace():
     )
 
     assert_equal(short_trace.stats.starttime, UTCDateTime("2018-01-01T11:59:30Z"))
-    assert_equal(short_trace.stats.endtime, UTCDateTime("2018-01-02T11:59:30Z"))
+    assert_equal(short_trace.stats.endtime, short_trace.stats.starttime)
 
 
 def test_get_stream_gaps():