diff --git a/make_timeline.py b/make_timeline.py
index 45dd5cc..5b2fd69 100755
--- a/make_timeline.py
+++ b/make_timeline.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
   cd ..
   rsync -av t_now/ /proj/sot/ska/www/ASPECT_ICXC/test_review_outputs/arc/${PR}/t_now/
 
+  diff t_now/{flight,$COMMIT}/timeline_states.js
+
 Local
 -----
 Testing on a local machine (Mac) requires syncing the data files from kady.  This tests
@@ -62,11 +64,11 @@
 Get the flight run date and convert that to a full date-format date (e.g. "317/1211z"
 => "2024:317:12:11:00")::
 
-  tail -c 400 t_now/flight/timeline_states.js | grep now_date
+  DATE_NOW=`python utils/get_date_now.py t_now/flight`
 
 Run the script with the test option::
 
-  python make_timeline.py --test --data-dir=t_now/$COMMIT --date-now=<now_date>
+  python make_timeline.py --test --data-dir=t_now/$COMMIT --date-now=$DATE_NOW
 
 To view the output, open the directory in a browser::
 
@@ -75,7 +77,10 @@
 
 Compare the timeline_states.js files::
 
-  diff t_now/{flight,$COMMIT}/timeline_states.js
+  python utils/convert_states_to_yaml.py t_now/$COMMIT
+  python utils/convert_states_to_yaml.py t_now/flight
+
+  diff t_now/{flight,$COMMIT}/timeline_states.yaml
 """
 
 import argparse
diff --git a/utils/convert_states_to_yaml.py b/utils/convert_states_to_yaml.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edc3c57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/convert_states_to_yaml.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""Convert timeline_states.js to YAML timeline_states.yaml for easier comparison."""
+
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+data_dir = sys.argv[1]
+text = Path(f"{data_dir}/timeline_states.js").read_text()
+states = json.loads(text[11:])
+yaml.dump(states, open(f"{data_dir}/timeline_states.yaml", "w"))
diff --git a/utils/get_date_now.py b/utils/get_date_now.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8fa51a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/get_date_now.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""Convert the now_date from timeline_states.js to a CxoTime date string."""
+
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from cxotime import CxoTime
+
+data_dir = sys.argv[1]
+text = Path(f"{data_dir}/timeline_states.js").read_text()
+data = json.loads(text[11:])
+
+# Get date like "319/1215z"
+now_date = data["now_date"]
+year = CxoTime.now().date[:4]
+
+# Convert now_date to "{year}:319:12:15:00"
+date = f"{year}:{now_date[0:3]}:{now_date[4:6]}:{now_date[6:8]}:00"
+print(date)