1 files changed, 4 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/ident.c b/ident.c
index 9e2438826d..1c4adb0a9a 100644
--- a/ident.c
+++ b/ident.c
@@ -217,8 +217,10 @@ const char *fmt_ident(const char *name, const char *email,
 	}
 
 	strcpy(date, git_default_date);
-	if (!name_addr_only && date_str)
-		parse_date(date_str, date, sizeof(date));
+	if (!name_addr_only && date_str && date_str[0]) {
+		if (parse_date(date_str, date, sizeof(date)) < 0)
+			die("invalid date format: %s", date_str);
+	}
 
 	i = copy(buffer, sizeof(buffer), 0, name);
 	i = add_raw(buffer, sizeof(buffer), i, " <");