diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index 470ca2ac6e..aa8aa4af88 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -547,21 +547,24 @@ def __init__(self, date, precision):
 
     @classmethod
     def parse(cls, string):
-        """Parse a date and return a `Period` object or `None` if the
-        string is empty.
+        """Parse a date and return a `Period` object, or `None` if the
+        string is empty, or raise an InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError if
+        the string could not be parsed to a date.
         """
         if not string:
             return None
         ordinal = string.count('-')
         if ordinal >= len(cls.date_formats):
             # Too many components.
-            return None
+            raise InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError(string,
+                                                'a valid datetime string')
         date_format = cls.date_formats[ordinal]
         try:
             date = datetime.strptime(string, date_format)
         except ValueError:
             # Parsing failed.
-            return None
+            raise InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError(string,
+                                                'a valid datetime string')
         precision = cls.precisions[ordinal]
         return cls(date, precision)
 
diff --git a/test/test_datequery.py b/test/test_datequery.py
index 1e1625db27..e81544aaad 100644
--- a/test/test_datequery.py
+++ b/test/test_datequery.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 import unittest
 import time
-from beets.dbcore.query import _parse_periods, DateInterval, DateQuery
+from beets.dbcore.query import _parse_periods, DateInterval, DateQuery,\
+    InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError
 
 
 def _date(string):
@@ -117,10 +118,27 @@ def test_single_day_nonmatch_fast(self):
 
 class DateQueryConstructTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_long_numbers(self):
-        DateQuery('added', '1409830085..1412422089')
+        with self.assertRaises(InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError):
+            DateQuery('added', '1409830085..1412422089')
 
     def test_too_many_components(self):
-        DateQuery('added', '12-34-56-78')
+        with self.assertRaises(InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError):
+            DateQuery('added', '12-34-56-78')
+
+    def test_invalid_date_query(self):
+        q_list = [
+            '2001-01-0a',
+            '2001-0a',
+            '200a',
+            '2001-01-01..2001-01-0a',
+            '2001-0a..2001-01',
+            '200a..2002',
+            '20aa..',
+            '..2aa'
+        ]
+        for q in q_list:
+            with self.assertRaises(InvalidQueryArgumentTypeError):
+                DateQuery('added', q)
 
 
 def suite():
diff --git a/test/test_query.py b/test/test_query.py
index 41672ab358..3538c15a88 100644
--- a/test/test_query.py
+++ b/test/test_query.py
@@ -891,9 +891,12 @@ def test_type_boolean(self):
         self.assertNegationProperties(q)
 
     def test_type_date(self):
-        q = dbcore.query.DateQuery(u'mtime', u'0.0')
+        q = dbcore.query.DateQuery(u'added', u'2000-01-01')
         not_results = self.lib.items(dbcore.query.NotQuery(q))
-        self.assert_items_matched(not_results, [])
+        # query date is in the past, thus the 'not' results should contain all
+        # items
+        self.assert_items_matched(not_results, [u'foo bar', u'baz qux',
+                                                u'beets 4 eva'])
         self.assertNegationProperties(q)
 
     def test_type_false(self):
@@ -992,7 +995,7 @@ def test_fast_vs_slow(self):
         AttributeError: type object 'NoneQuery' has no attribute 'field'
         at NoneQuery.match() (due to being @classmethod, and no self?)
         """
-        classes = [(dbcore.query.DateQuery, [u'mtime', u'0.0']),
+        classes = [(dbcore.query.DateQuery, [u'added', u'2001-01-01']),
                    (dbcore.query.MatchQuery, [u'artist', u'one']),
                    # (dbcore.query.NoneQuery, ['rg_track_gain']),
                    (dbcore.query.NumericQuery, [u'year', u'2002']),