diff --git a/hwclock/hwclock.py b/hwclock/hwclock.py
index 12f8c54bc..3e6d2a825 100644
--- a/hwclock/hwclock.py
+++ b/hwclock/hwclock.py
@@ -1,16 +1,26 @@
 from autotest_lib.client.bin import test, utils
 from autotest_lib.client.common_lib import error
-import re
+import re, os, logging
 
 class hwclock(test.test):
     version = 1
 
-    def run_once(self, seconds=1):
+    def run_once(self):
+        """
+        Set hwclock back to a date in 1980 and verify if the changes took
+        effect in the system.
+        """
+        logging.info('Setting hwclock to 2/2/80 03:04:00')
         utils.system('/sbin/hwclock --set --date "2/2/80 03:04:00"')
-        date = utils.system_output('/sbin/hwclock')
+        date = utils.system_output('LC_ALL=C /sbin/hwclock')
         if not re.match('Sat *Feb *2 *03:04:.. 1980', date):
-            raise error.TestFail('Failed to set hwclock back to the eighties')
+            raise error.TestFail("Failed to set hwclock back to the eighties. "
+                                 "Output of hwclock is '%s'" % date)
 
 
     def cleanup(self):
+        """
+        Restore hardware clock to current system time.
+        """
+        logging.info('Restoring the hardware clock')
         utils.system('/sbin/hwclock --systohc --noadjfile --utc')