diff --git a/lib/database-private.h b/lib/database-private.h
index 5db8882f..0c08fa15 100644
--- a/lib/database-private.h
+++ b/lib/database-private.h
@@ -379,5 +379,10 @@ notmuch_status_t
 _notmuch_sexp_string_to_xapian_query (notmuch_database_t *notmuch, const char *querystr,
 				      Xapian::Query &output);
 #endif
+
+/* parse-time-vrp.h */
+notmuch_status_t
+_notmuch_date_strings_to_query (Xapian::valueno slot, const std::string &from, const std::string &to,
+				Xapian::Query &output, std::string &msg);
 #endif
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/parse-time-vrp.cc b/lib/parse-time-vrp.cc
index 22bf2ab5..6b07970b 100644
--- a/lib/parse-time-vrp.cc
+++ b/lib/parse-time-vrp.cc
@@ -24,22 +24,28 @@
 #include "parse-time-vrp.h"
 #include "parse-time-string.h"
 
-Xapian::Query
-ParseTimeRangeProcessor::operator() (const std::string &begin, const std::string &end)
+notmuch_status_t
+_notmuch_date_strings_to_query (Xapian::valueno slot,
+				const std::string &begin, const std::string &end,
+				Xapian::Query &output, std::string &msg)
 {
     double from = DBL_MIN, to = DBL_MAX;
     time_t parsed_time, now;
     std::string str;
 
     /* Use the same 'now' for begin and end. */
-    if (time (&now) == (time_t) -1)
-	throw Xapian::QueryParserError ("unable to get current time");
+    if (time (&now) == (time_t) -1) {
+	msg = "unable to get current time";
+	return NOTMUCH_STATUS_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT;
+    }
 
     if (! begin.empty ()) {
-	if (parse_time_string (begin.c_str (), &parsed_time, &now, PARSE_TIME_ROUND_DOWN))
-	    throw Xapian::QueryParserError ("Didn't understand date specification '" + begin + "'");
-	else
-	    from = (double) parsed_time;
+	if (parse_time_string (begin.c_str (), &parsed_time, &now, PARSE_TIME_ROUND_DOWN)) {
+	    msg = "Didn't understand date specification '" + begin + "'";
+	    return NOTMUCH_STATUS_BAD_QUERY_SYNTAX;
+	}
+
+	from = (double) parsed_time;
     }
 
     if (! end.empty ()) {
@@ -48,15 +54,30 @@ ParseTimeRangeProcessor::operator() (const std::string &begin, const std::string
 	else
 	    str = end;
 
-	if (parse_time_string (str.c_str (), &parsed_time, &now, PARSE_TIME_ROUND_UP_INCLUSIVE))
-	    throw Xapian::QueryParserError ("Didn't understand date specification '" + str + "'");
-	else
-	    to = (double) parsed_time;
+	if (parse_time_string (str.c_str (), &parsed_time, &now, PARSE_TIME_ROUND_UP_INCLUSIVE)) {
+	    msg = "Didn't understand date specification '" + str + "'";
+	    return NOTMUCH_STATUS_BAD_QUERY_SYNTAX;
+	}
+	to = (double) parsed_time;
     }
 
-    return Xapian::Query (Xapian::Query::OP_VALUE_RANGE, slot,
-			  Xapian::sortable_serialise (from),
-			  Xapian::sortable_serialise (to));
+    output = Xapian::Query (Xapian::Query::OP_VALUE_RANGE, slot,
+			    Xapian::sortable_serialise (from),
+			    Xapian::sortable_serialise (to));
+    return NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+Xapian::Query
+ParseTimeRangeProcessor::operator() (const std::string &begin, const std::string &end)
+{
+
+    Xapian::Query output;
+    std::string msg;
+
+    if (_notmuch_date_strings_to_query (slot, begin, end, output, msg))
+	throw Xapian::QueryParserError (msg);
+
+    return output;
 }
 
 /* XXX TODO: is throwing an exception the right thing to do here? */