diff --git a/src/datepicker/datepicker.js b/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
index f8cdf1279f..d062eae32f 100644
--- a/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
+++ b/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ function ($compile, $parse, $document, $position, dateFilter, dateParser, datepi
           ngModel.$setValidity('date', true);
           return viewValue;
         } else if (angular.isString(viewValue)) {
-          var date = dateParser.parse(viewValue, dateFormat) || new Date(viewValue);
+          var date = dateParser.parse(viewValue, dateFormat);
           if (isNaN(date)) {
             ngModel.$setValidity('date', false);
             return undefined;
diff --git a/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js b/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
index 1eb14a434d..1c2a884427 100644
--- a/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
+++ b/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
@@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@ describe('datepicker directive', function () {
       });
 
       it('updates the model & calendar when input value changes', function() {
-        changeInputValueTo(inputEl, 'March 5, 1980');
+        changeInputValueTo(inputEl, '1980-03-05');
 
         expect($rootScope.date.getFullYear()).toEqual(1980);
         expect($rootScope.date.getMonth()).toEqual(2);