diff --git a/test/T660-bad-date.sh b/test/T660-bad-date.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..6463d5b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/T660-bad-date.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+test_description="parsing of bad dates"
+. ./test-lib.sh || exit 1
+
+add_message [date]='"()"'
+
+test_begin_subtest 'Bad dates translate to a date after the Unix epoch'
+test_subtest_known_broken
+cat <<EOF >EXPECTED
+thread:0000000000000001   1970-01-01 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Test message #1 (inbox unread)
+EOF
+notmuch search '*' > OUTPUT
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_done