diff --git a/macros/neon.m4 b/macros/neon.m4
index a7c739af..e7f6cb6d 100644
--- a/macros/neon.m4
+++ b/macros/neon.m4
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ NE_LARGEFILE
 AC_REPLACE_FUNCS(strcasecmp)
 
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([signal setvbuf setsockopt stpcpy poll fcntl getsockopt \
-                explicit_bzero sendmsg gettimeofday])
+                explicit_bzero sendmsg gettimeofday gmtime_r])
 
 if test "x${ac_cv_func_poll}${ac_cv_header_sys_poll_h}y" = "xyesyesy"; then
   AC_DEFINE([NE_USE_POLL], 1, [Define if poll() should be used])
diff --git a/src/ne_dates.c b/src/ne_dates.c
index 3f0c3c88..0835aa9c 100644
--- a/src/ne_dates.c
+++ b/src/ne_dates.c
@@ -99,17 +99,27 @@ time_t gmt_to_local_win32(void)
 #endif
 
 char *ne_rfc1123_date(time_t anytime) {
-    struct tm *gmt;
+    struct tm gmt;
+    struct tm *rv;
     char *ret;
-    gmt = gmtime(&anytime);
-    if (gmt == NULL)
-	return NULL;
+
+#ifdef HAVE_GMTIME_R
+#warning fish
+    if ((rv = gmtime_r(&anytime, &gmt)) == NULL)
+        return NULL;
+#else
+    if ((rv = gmtime(&anytime)) == NULL)
+        return NULL;
+
+    gmt = *rv;
+#endif
+
     ret = ne_malloc(29 + 1); /* dates are 29 chars long */
     ne_snprintf(ret, 30, IMFFIX_FORMAT,
-		rfc1123_weekdays[gmt->tm_wday], gmt->tm_mday, 
-		short_months[gmt->tm_mon], 1900 + gmt->tm_year, 
-		gmt->tm_hour, gmt->tm_min, gmt->tm_sec);
-    
+		rfc1123_weekdays[gmt.tm_wday], gmt.tm_mday,
+		short_months[gmt.tm_mon], 1900 + gmt.tm_year,
+		gmt.tm_hour, gmt.tm_min, gmt.tm_sec);
+
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/util-tests.c b/test/util-tests.c
index 4a8301f6..fd7cc193 100644
--- a/test/util-tests.c
+++ b/test/util-tests.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_STRING_H
 #include <string.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_STDINT_H
+#include <stdint.h>
+#endif
 
 #include "ne_utils.h"
 #include "ne_md5.h"
@@ -254,6 +257,16 @@ static int bad_dates(void)
         BAD_DATE("asctime", ne_asctime_parse(dates[n]));
     }
 
+#if SIZEOF_TIME_T == 8 && defined(INT64_MAX)
+    {
+        char *rv = ne_rfc1123_date(INT64_MAX);
+
+        ONV(rv != NULL,
+            ("RFC1123 date conversion surprisingly worked for INT64_MAX: %s",
+             rv));
+    }
+#endif
+
     return OK;
 }