diff --git a/builtin-commit.c b/builtin-commit.c
index 09d2840..f07e4d3 100644
--- a/builtin-commit.c
+++ b/builtin-commit.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static enum {
 	COMMIT_PARTIAL,
 } commit_style;
 
-static const char *logfile, *force_author;
+static const char *logfile, *force_author, *force_date;
 static const char *template_file;
 static char *edit_message, *use_message;
 static char *author_name, *author_email, *author_date;
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ static struct option builtin_commit_options[] = {
 
 	OPT_FILENAME('F', "file", &logfile, "read log from file"),
 	OPT_STRING(0, "author", &force_author, "AUTHOR", "override author for commit"),
+	OPT_STRING(0, "date", &force_date, "DATE", "override date for commit"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK('m', "message", &message, "MESSAGE", "specify commit message", opt_parse_m),
 	OPT_STRING('c', "reedit-message", &edit_message, "COMMIT", "reuse and edit message from specified commit "),
 	OPT_STRING('C', "reuse-message", &use_message, "COMMIT", "reuse message from specified commit"),
@@ -409,6 +410,9 @@ static void determine_author_info(void)
 		email = xstrndup(lb + 2, rb - (lb + 2));
 	}
 
+	if (force_date)
+		date = force_date;
+
 	author_name = name;
 	author_email = email;
 	author_date = date;