diff --git a/mlos_bench/mlos_bench/environments/local/local_env.py b/mlos_bench/mlos_bench/environments/local/local_env.py
index 0353981eac..7ccf187a8c 100644
--- a/mlos_bench/mlos_bench/environments/local/local_env.py
+++ b/mlos_bench/mlos_bench/environments/local/local_env.py
@@ -216,8 +216,37 @@ def _normalize_columns(data: pandas.DataFrame) -> pandas.DataFrame:
             data.rename(str.rstrip, axis='columns', inplace=True)
         return data
 
+    # All timestamps in the telemetry data must be greater than this date
+    # (a very rough approximation for the start of this feature).
     _MIN_TS = datetime(2024, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, tzinfo=pytz.UTC)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _datetime_parser(datetime_col: pandas.Series) -> pandas.Series:
+        """
+        Attempt to convert a column to a datetime format.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        datetime_col : pandas.Series
+            The column to convert.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        pandas.Series
+            The converted datetime column.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        ValueError
+            On parse errors.
+        """
+        new_datetime_col = pandas.to_datetime(datetime_col, utc=True)
+        if new_datetime_col.isna().any():
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid date format in the telemetry data: {datetime_col}")
+        if new_datetime_col.le(LocalEnv._MIN_TS).any():
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid date range in the telemetry data: {datetime_col}")
+        return new_datetime_col
+
     def status(self) -> Tuple[Status, datetime, List[Tuple[datetime, str, Any]]]:
 
         (status, timestamp, _) = super().status()
@@ -235,10 +264,7 @@ def status(self) -> Tuple[Status, datetime, List[Tuple[datetime, str, Any]]]:
 
             data = self._normalize_columns(
                 pandas.read_csv(fname, index_col=False))
-            date_col = pandas.to_datetime(data.iloc[:, 0], utc=True)
-            if date_col.le(self._MIN_TS).any():
-                raise ValueError(f"Invalid date range in the telemetry data: {date_col}")
-            data.iloc[:, 0] = date_col
+            data.iloc[:, 0] = self._datetime_parser(data.iloc[:, 0])
 
             expected_col_names = ["timestamp", "metric", "value"]
             if len(data.columns) != len(expected_col_names):
@@ -248,12 +274,7 @@ def status(self) -> Tuple[Status, datetime, List[Tuple[datetime, str, Any]]]:
                 # Assume no header - this is ok for telemetry data.
                 data = pandas.read_csv(
                     fname, index_col=False, names=expected_col_names)
-                date_col = pandas.to_datetime(data.iloc[:, 0], utc=True)
-                if date_col.isna().any():
-                    raise ValueError(f"Invalid date format in the telemetry data: {date_col}")
-                if date_col.le(self._MIN_TS).any():
-                    raise ValueError(f"Invalid date range in the telemetry data: {date_col}")
-                data.iloc[:, 0] = date_col
+                data.iloc[:, 0] = self._datetime_parser(data.iloc[:, 0])
 
         except FileNotFoundError as ex:
             _LOG.warning("Telemetry CSV file not found: %s :: %s", self._read_telemetry_file, ex)