Index: src/date.c
==================================================================
--- src/date.c
+++ src/date.c
@@ -839,11 +839,17 @@
       return 1;
     }
   }
   for(i=1; i<argc; i++){
     z = sqlite3_value_text(argv[i]);
-    if( z==0 || parseModifier(context, (char*)z, p) ) return 1;
+    if( z==0 ) return 1;
+    if( p->validJD && !validJulianDay(p->iJD) 
+     && strcmp((const char*)z,"unixepoch")!=0
+    ){
+      return 1;
+    }
+    if( parseModifier(context, (char*)z, p) ) return 1;
   }
   computeJD(p);
   if( p->isError || !validJulianDay(p->iJD) ) return 1;
   return 0;
 }

Index: test/date.test
==================================================================
--- test/date.test
+++ test/date.test
@@ -593,8 +593,8 @@
 datetest 16.27 {datetime(5373484,'-5373485 days')} NULL
 datetest 16.28 {datetime(5373484,'-176545 months')} {-4713-12-01 12:00:00}
 datetest 16.29 {datetime(5373484,'-176546 months')} NULL
 datetest 16.30 {datetime(5373484,'-14712 years')} {-4713-12-31 12:00:00}
 datetest 16.31 {datetime(5373484,'-14713 years')} NULL
-
+datetest 16.32 {datetime('-5e19','-01:00')} NULL
 
 finish_test