diff --git a/freqtrade/freqai/data_drawer.py b/freqtrade/freqai/data_drawer.py
index db535862d..dda8ebdbf 100644
--- a/freqtrade/freqai/data_drawer.py
+++ b/freqtrade/freqai/data_drawer.py
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ class FreqaiDataDrawer:
                 "model_filename": "", "trained_timestamp": 0,
                 "data_path": "", "extras": {}}
         self.metric_tracker: Dict[str, Dict[str, Dict[str, list]]] = {}
-        self.current_candle: datetime = datetime.fromtimestamp(637887600)
 
     def update_metric_tracker(self, metric: str, value: float, pair: str) -> None:
         """
diff --git a/freqtrade/freqai/data_kitchen.py b/freqtrade/freqai/data_kitchen.py
index cd457d65d..1979a5d36 100644
--- a/freqtrade/freqai/data_kitchen.py
+++ b/freqtrade/freqai/data_kitchen.py
@@ -1247,6 +1247,8 @@ class FreqaiDataKitchen:
 
         self.get_unique_classes_from_labels(dataframe)
 
+        dataframe = self.remove_special_chars_from_feature_names(dataframe)
+
         return dataframe
 
     def fit_labels(self) -> None:
@@ -1335,3 +1337,16 @@ class FreqaiDataKitchen:
                 f"Could not find backtesting prediction file at {path_to_predictionfile}"
             )
         return file_exists
+
+    def remove_special_chars_from_feature_names(self, dataframe: pd.DataFrame) -> pd.DataFrame:
+        """
+        Remove all special characters from feature strings (:)
+        :param dataframe: the dataframe that just finished indicator population. (unfiltered)
+        :return: dataframe with cleaned featrue names
+        """
+
+        spec_chars = [':']
+        for c in spec_chars:
+            dataframe.columns = dataframe.columns.str.replace(c, "")
+
+        return dataframe
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/freqtrade/freqai/freqai_interface.py b/freqtrade/freqai/freqai_interface.py
index c3ca174c6..1420ce5c7 100644
--- a/freqtrade/freqai/freqai_interface.py
+++ b/freqtrade/freqai/freqai_interface.py
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ class IFreqaiModel(ABC):
         if self.save_backtest_models:
             logger.info('Backtesting module configured to save all models.')
         self.dd = FreqaiDataDrawer(Path(self.full_path), self.config, self.follow_mode)
+        # set current candle to arbitrary historical date
+        self.current_candle: datetime = datetime.fromtimestamp(637887600, tz=timezone.utc)
+        self.dd.current_candle = self.current_candle
         self.scanning = False
         self.ft_params = self.freqai_info["feature_parameters"]
         self.corr_pairlist: List[str] = self.ft_params.get("include_corr_pairlist", [])
@@ -93,7 +96,6 @@ class IFreqaiModel(ABC):
         # get_corr_dataframes is controlling the caching of corr_dataframes
         # for improved performance. Careful with this boolean.
         self.get_corr_dataframes: bool = True
-        self.current_candle: datetime = datetime.fromtimestamp(637887600, tz=timezone.utc)
         self._threads: List[threading.Thread] = []
         self._stop_event = threading.Event()