diff --git a/test/T081-sexpr-search.sh b/test/T081-sexpr-search.sh
index 2a8ad5f1..d8f8872d 100755
--- a/test/T081-sexpr-search.sh
+++ b/test/T081-sexpr-search.sh
@@ -768,6 +768,78 @@ notmuch search date:2009-11-18..2009-11-18 and tag:unread > EXPECTED
 notmuch search --query=sexp  '(and (infix "date:2009-11-18..2009-11-18") (infix "tag:unread"))' > OUTPUT
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
+test_begin_subtest "date query, empty"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search from:keithp | notmuch_search_sanitize > EXPECTED
+notmuch search --query=sexp  '(and (date) (from keithp))'| notmuch_search_sanitize > OUTPUT
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, one argument"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search date:2009-11-18 and from:keithp | notmuch_search_sanitize > EXPECTED
+notmuch search --query=sexp  '(and (date 2009-11-18) (from keithp))' | notmuch_search_sanitize > OUTPUT
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, two arguments"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search date:2009-11-17..2009-11-18 and from:keithp | notmuch_search_sanitize > EXPECTED
+notmuch search --query=sexp  '(and (date 2009-11-17 2009-11-18) (from keithp))' | notmuch_search_sanitize > OUTPUT
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, illegal nesting 1"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(to (date))' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+nested field: 'date' inside 'to'
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, illegal nesting 2"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(to (date 2021-11-18))' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+nested field: 'date' inside 'to'
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, illegal nesting 3"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(date (to))' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+expected atom as first argument of 'date'
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, illegal nesting 4"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(date today (to))' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+expected atom as second argument of 'date'
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, too many arguments"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(date yesterday and tommorow)' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+'date' expects maximum of two arguments
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "date query, bad date"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch search --query=sexp '(date "hawaiian-pizza-day")' > OUTPUT 2>&1
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+notmuch search: Syntax error in query
+Didn't understand date specification 'hawaiian-pizza-day'
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
 test_begin_subtest "user header (unknown header)"
 notmuch search --query=sexp '(FooBar)' >& OUTPUT
 cat <<EOF > EXPECTED