diff --git a/mappers/date.inc b/mappers/date.inc
index 3de6a69..732ec67 100644
--- a/mappers/date.inc
+++ b/mappers/date.inc
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ function date_feeds_processor_targets_alter(&$targets, $entity_type, $bundle_nam
 /**
  * Implements hook_feeds_set_target().
  *
- * @param $node
- *   The target node.
+ * @param $entity
+ *   The target entity.
  * @param $field_name
  *   The name of field on the target node to map to.
  * @param $feed_element
@@ -44,18 +44,32 @@ function date_feeds_processor_targets_alter(&$targets, $entity_type, $bundle_nam
  *   or a FeedsDateTimeElement object.
  *
  * @todo Support array of values for dates.
+ * @todo Update parameter list in docstring above
  */
 function date_feeds_set_target($source, $entity, $target, $feed_element) {
   list($field_name, $sub_field) = explode(':', $target, 2);
+  if(empty($feed_element)) {
+    return;
+  }
   if (!($feed_element instanceof FeedsDateTimeElement)) {
     if (is_array($feed_element)) {
       $feed_element = $feed_element[0];
     }
-    if ($sub_field == 'end') {
-      $feed_element = new FeedsDateTimeElement(NULL, $feed_element);
+    try {
+      if ($sub_field == 'end') {
+        $feed_element = new FeedsDateTimeElement(NULL, $feed_element);
+      }
+      else {
+        $feed_element = new FeedsDateTimeElement($feed_element, NULL);
+      }
     }
-    else {
-      $feed_element = new FeedsDateTimeElement($feed_element, NULL);
+    catch (Exception $e) { 
+      watchdog_exception(
+        'feeds',
+        $e,
+        'Invalid date (@value) for target: @target',
+        array('@value' => $feed_element, '@target' => $field_name)
+      );
     }
   }
   $feed_element->buildDateField($entity, $field_name);
diff --git a/plugins/FeedsParser.inc b/plugins/FeedsParser.inc
index 8772e32..e727f90 100644
--- a/plugins/FeedsParser.inc
+++ b/plugins/FeedsParser.inc
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ class FeedsDateTimeElement extends FeedsElement {
 
   /**
    * Helper method for buildDateField(). Build a FeedsDateTimeElement object
-   * from a standard formatted node.
+   * from a standard formatted entity.
    */
   protected static function readDateField($entity, $field_name) {
     $ret = new FeedsDateTimeElement();
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ class FeedsDateTimeElement extends FeedsElement {
    * @param $field_name
    *   The name of the field to build.
    */
+  // @todo: add $delta parameter to support multiple items
   public function buildDateField($entity, $field_name) {
     $info = field_info_field($field_name);
 
@@ -602,11 +603,6 @@ class FeedsDateTime extends DateTime {
     $time = str_replace("GMT-", "-", $time);
     $time = str_replace("GMT+", "+", $time);
 
-    // Some PHP 5.2 version's DateTime class chokes on invalid dates.
-    if (!strtotime($time)) {
-      $time = 'now';
-    }
-
     // Create and set time zone separately, PHP 5.2.6 does not respect time zone
     // argument in __construct().
     parent::__construct($time);