diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/base.sql b/openerp/addons/base/base.sql
index c490df32294..3fa847ce23c 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/base.sql
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/base.sql
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ CREATE TABLE res_users (
     active boolean default True,
     login varchar(64) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     password varchar(64) default null,
-    tz varchar(64) default null,
     lang varchar(64) default '',
     -- No FK references below, will be added later by ORM
     -- (when the destination rows exist)
diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
index 56ac39a6f84..b14620a58a4 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #
 ##############################################################################
 
+import datetime
 import math
 import openerp
 from osv import osv, fields
@@ -178,6 +179,12 @@ class res_partner(osv.osv, format_address):
             result[obj.id] = tools.image_get_resized_images(obj.image)
         return result
 
+    def _get_tz_offset(self, cr, uid, ids, name, args, context=None):
+        result = dict.fromkeys(ids, False)
+        for obj in self.browse(cr, uid, ids, context=context):
+            result[obj.id] = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.timezone(obj.tz or 'GMT')).strftime('%z')
+        return result
+
     def _set_image(self, cr, uid, id, name, value, args, context=None):
         return self.write(cr, uid, [id], {'image': tools.image_resize_image_big(value)}, context=context)
 
@@ -195,6 +202,7 @@ class res_partner(osv.osv, format_address):
             help="The partner's timezone, used to output proper date and time values inside printed reports. "
                  "It is important to set a value for this field. You should use the same timezone "
                  "that is otherwise used to pick and render date and time values: your computer's timezone."),
+        'tz_offset': fields.function(_get_tz_offset, type='char', size=5, string='Timezone offset', store=True),
         'user_id': fields.many2one('res.users', 'Salesperson', help='The internal user that is in charge of communicating with this contact if any.'),
         'vat': fields.char('TIN', size=32, help="Tax Identification Number. Check the box if this contact is subjected to taxes. Used by the some of the legal statements."),
         'bank_ids': fields.one2many('res.partner.bank', 'partner_id', 'Banks'),
diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users.py b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users.py
index 4565f861b40..2b613778419 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users.py
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ class res_users(osv.osv):
         for k in self._all_columns.keys():
             if k.startswith('context_'):
                 context_key = k[8:]
-            elif k in ['lang', 'tz']:
+            elif k in ['lang', 'tz', 'tz_offset']:
                 context_key = k
             else:
                 context_key = False