diff --git a/adapter/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/monetdb_adapter.rb b/adapter/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/monetdb_adapter.rb
index de041a2cc0524cbdf22355d050f884f5815c3568..bfea38fd4d29d6acda8d18c677ee6aff4470224e 100644
--- a/adapter/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/monetdb_adapter.rb
+++ b/adapter/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/monetdb_adapter.rb
@@ -29,17 +29,14 @@ require 'MonetDB'
 module ActiveRecord
   class Base
     # Establishes a connection to the database that's used by all Active Record objects
-    def self.monetdb_connection(config) 
-      #TODO: is this required?
-      #require_library_or_gem('MonetDB')
-
+    def self.monetdb_connection(config)
       # extract connection parameters
       config 	= config.symbolize_keys
 
       host = config[:host] || "127.0.0.1"
       port = config[:port] || 50000
-      username 	= config[:username].to_s if config[:username] || "monetdb"
-      password	= config[:password].to_s if config[:password] || "monetdb"
+      username 	= config[:username].to_s if config[:username]
+      password	= config[:password].to_s if config[:password]
 
       # Use "sql" as default language if none is specified
       lang = config[:lang] || "sql"
diff --git a/lib/MonetDBConnection.rb b/lib/MonetDBConnection.rb
index 1e3f8a0db1b9ff2a92ee8d30cb7e4f3b1bcbfa56..c08f70e6c4ce50310d7808bccc798f65a7a991ef 100644
--- a/lib/MonetDBConnection.rb
+++ b/lib/MonetDBConnection.rb
@@ -442,15 +442,10 @@ class MonetDBConnection
   # Sets the time zone according to the Operating System settings
   def set_timezone()
     tz = Time.new
-    tz_offset = tz.gmt_offset / @@HOUR
-      
-    if tz_offset <= 9 # verify minute count!
-      tz_offset = "'+0" + tz_offset.to_s + ":00'"
-    else
-      tz_offset = "'+" + tz_offset.to_s + ":00'"
-    end
+    tz_offset = "'%+03d:00'" % (tz.gmt_offset / @@HOUR)
+
     query_tz = "sSET TIME ZONE INTERVAL " + tz_offset + " HOUR TO MINUTE;"
-    
+
     # Perform the query directly within the method
     send(query_tz)
     response = receive