diff --git a/libpod/container_internal.go b/libpod/container_internal.go
index 361a342f3f..97d3a869e3 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/hooks"
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/hooks/exec"
+	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/timezone"
 	cutil "github.com/containers/common/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v4/libpod/define"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v4/libpod/events"
@@ -1706,45 +1706,18 @@ func (c *Container) mountStorage() (_ string, deferredErr error) {
 	}
 
 	tz := c.Timezone()
-	if tz != "" {
-		timezonePath := filepath.Join("/usr/share/zoneinfo", tz)
-		if tz == "local" {
-			timezonePath, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks("/etc/localtime")
-			if err != nil {
-				return "", fmt.Errorf("finding local timezone for container %s: %w", c.ID(), err)
-			}
+	localTimePath, err := timezone.ConfigureContainerTimeZone(tz, c.state.RunDir, mountPoint, etcInTheContainerPath, c.ID())
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("configuring timezone for container %s: %w", c.ID(), err)
+	}
+	if localTimePath != "" {
+		if err := c.relabel(localTimePath, c.config.MountLabel, false); err != nil {
+			return "", err
 		}
-		// make sure to remove any existing localtime file in the container to not create invalid links
-		err = unix.Unlinkat(etcInTheContainerFd, "localtime", 0)
-		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("removing /etc/localtime: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		hostPath, err := securejoin.SecureJoin(mountPoint, timezonePath)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("resolve zoneinfo path in the container: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		_, err = os.Stat(hostPath)
-		if err != nil {
-			// file does not exists which means tzdata is not installed in the container, just create /etc/locatime which a copy from the host
-			logrus.Debugf("Timezone %s does not exist in the container, create our own copy from the host", timezonePath)
-			localtimePath, err := c.copyTimezoneFile(timezonePath)
-			if err != nil {
-				return "", fmt.Errorf("setting timezone for container %s: %w", c.ID(), err)
-			}
-			if c.state.BindMounts == nil {
-				c.state.BindMounts = make(map[string]string)
-			}
-			c.state.BindMounts["/etc/localtime"] = localtimePath
-		} else {
-			// file exists lets just symlink according to localtime(5)
-			logrus.Debugf("Create locatime symlink for %s", timezonePath)
-			err = unix.Symlinkat(".."+timezonePath, etcInTheContainerFd, "localtime")
-			if err != nil {
-				return "", fmt.Errorf("creating /etc/localtime symlink: %w", err)
-			}
+		if c.state.BindMounts == nil {
+			c.state.BindMounts = make(map[string]string)
 		}
+		c.state.BindMounts["/etc/localtime"] = localTimePath
 	}
 
 	// Request a mount of all named volumes
diff --git a/libpod/container_internal_common.go b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
index cea8ea8240..dd6d1deb45 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal_common.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
@@ -2782,38 +2782,6 @@ func (c *Container) generatePasswdAndGroup() (string, string, error) {
 	return passwdPath, groupPath, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Container) copyTimezoneFile(zonePath string) (string, error) {
-	localtimeCopy := filepath.Join(c.state.RunDir, "localtime")
-	file, err := os.Stat(zonePath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if file.IsDir() {
-		return "", errors.New("invalid timezone: is a directory")
-	}
-	src, err := os.Open(zonePath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	defer src.Close()
-	dest, err := os.Create(localtimeCopy)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	defer dest.Close()
-	_, err = io.Copy(dest, src)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if err := c.relabel(localtimeCopy, c.config.MountLabel, false); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if err := dest.Chown(c.RootUID(), c.RootGID()); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return localtimeCopy, err
-}
-
 func (c *Container) cleanupOverlayMounts() error {
 	return overlay.CleanupContent(c.config.StaticDir)
 }