1 files changed, 3 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/debdate b/debdate
index fbb9a30..a564939 100755
--- a/debdate
+++ b/debdate
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ class Command:
         self.date_options.add_argument(
             '-d', '--date',
             help='A gregorian date',
-            default='',
+            default=None,
+            type=parser.parse,
             )
         self.date_options.add_argument(
             '-s', '--seconds',
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ class Command:
 
     def print_date(self, args):
         if args.date:
-            date = parser.parse(args.date).date()
+            date = args.date.date()
         elif args.seconds:
             date = datetime.date.fromtimestamp(args.seconds)
         else: