diff --git a/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/datepicker-calendar.component.ts b/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/datepicker-calendar.component.ts
index 72908971..66c88ee2 100644
--- a/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/datepicker-calendar.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/datepicker-calendar.component.ts
@@ -29,14 +29,20 @@ export class SkyDatepickerCalendarComponent {
   @Input()
   public maxDate: Date;
 
-  /** starting day of the week from 0-6 (0=Sunday, ..., 6=Saturday) */
-  @Input()
-  public startingDay: number;
-
   /** currently selected date */
   @Input()
   public selectedDate: Date;
 
+  /** starting day of the week from 0-6 (0=Sunday, ..., 6=Saturday) */
+  @Input()
+  public set startingDay(start: number) {
+    this._startingDay = start;
+  }
+
+  public get startingDay() {
+    return this._startingDay || 0;
+  }
+
   @Output()
   public selectedDateChange: EventEmitter<Date> = new EventEmitter<Date>(undefined);
 
@@ -51,6 +57,8 @@ export class SkyDatepickerCalendarComponent {
 
   private formatter = new SkyDateFormatter();
 
+  private _startingDay: number;
+
   public constructor(config: SkyDatepickerConfigService) {
     this.config = config;
     this.configureOptions();
diff --git a/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/fixtures/datepicker-calendar.component.fixture.ts b/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/fixtures/datepicker-calendar.component.fixture.ts
index 4eebc59c..70e2d95a 100644
--- a/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/fixtures/datepicker-calendar.component.fixture.ts
+++ b/src/app/public/modules/datepicker/fixtures/datepicker-calendar.component.fixture.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export class DatepickerCalendarTestComponent {
 
   public selectedDate: any;
 
-  public startingDay: number = 0;
+  public startingDay: number;
 
    @ViewChild(SkyDatepickerCalendarComponent)
    public datepicker: SkyDatepickerCalendarComponent;