diff --git a/src/main/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpleTimer.java b/src/main/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpleTimer.java
index 26cc41c..f1bb167 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpleTimer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpleTimer.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ public SimpleTimer() {
    * @param startTime value in seconds for the start time
    */
   public void setStartTime(final Number startTime) {
+    getElement().setProperty("countUp", false);
     getElement().setProperty("startTime", startTime.doubleValue());
     getElement().setProperty(CURRENT_TIME, startTime.doubleValue());
     reset();
@@ -67,20 +68,11 @@ public void setStartTime(final Number startTime) {
    * @param endTime value in seconds for the end time
    */
   public void setEndTime(final Number endTime) {
+    getElement().setProperty("countUp", true);
     getElement().setProperty("endTime", endTime.doubleValue());
     reset();
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Changes the behavior to count up or down Default is false for count down
-   *
-   * @param countUp
-   */
-  public void setCountUp(final boolean countUp) {
-    getElement().setProperty("countUp", countUp);
-    reset();
-  }
-
   /**
    * Enables showing fractions of a second
    *
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpletimerDemo.java b/src/test/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpletimerDemo.java
index 86ff35b..6ca9a14 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpletimerDemo.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/flowingcode/vaadin/addons/simpletimer/SimpletimerDemo.java
@@ -39,31 +39,37 @@
 @Route(value = "simple-timer/simple-timer", layout = SimpletimerDemoView.class)
 public class SimpletimerDemo extends Div {
 
+  private final SimpleTimer timer = new SimpleTimer();
+
+  private boolean countUpMode;
+  private BigDecimal time = new BigDecimal(60);
+
   public SimpletimerDemo() {
     setSizeFull();
-    final SimpleTimer timer = new SimpleTimer();
     timer.setWidth("100px");
     timer.setHeight("50px");
     timer.getStyle().set("font-size", "40px");
+    timer.setStartTime(60);
 
     Span timerTitle = new Span("Simple Count Up Timer");
 
     final TextField startTime =
         new TextField("Start Time", e -> {
-          timer.setStartTime(new BigDecimal(e.getValue()));
-          timer.setEndTime(new BigDecimal(e.getValue()));
+          time = new BigDecimal(e.getValue());
+          update();
         });
     final Checkbox countUp = new Checkbox("Count Up", false);
     countUp.addValueChangeListener(
         e -> {
-          timer.setCountUp(countUp.getValue());
-          if (e.getValue()) {
+          countUpMode = countUp.getValue();
+          if (countUpMode) {
             startTime.setLabel("End Time");
             timerTitle.setText("Simple Count Up Timer");
           } else {
             startTime.setLabel("Start Time");
             timerTitle.setText("Simple Countdown Timer");
           }
+          update();
         });
     final Button start = new Button("Start/Stop", e -> timer.start());
     final Button stop = new Button("Stop", e -> timer.pause());
@@ -115,4 +121,12 @@ public SimpletimerDemo() {
 
     add(new VerticalLayout(topLayout, startTime, options, bottomLayout));
   }
+
+  private void update() {
+    if (countUpMode) {
+      timer.setEndTime(time);
+    } else {
+      timer.setStartTime(time);
+    }
+  }
 }