diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 2b0b14c8f..3c8f7c8b8 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Features
  + Stop consider new tasks after quitting a bulk change.
  + Removed deprecated 'fg:' and 'bg:' attributes.
  + The 'diagnostics' command now reports libuuid details.
+ + New characters for parsing and formating dates ('n', 's' and 'v').
 
 Bugs
  + Fixed bug #1043, where aliases were not recognized by bash autocompletion.
diff --git a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
index 218f230cd..d9c00fbf7 100644
--- a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
+++ b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ will be applied
 to the date.  Entered dates as well as all other displayed dates in reports
 are formatted according to dateformat.
 
-The default value is: m/d/Y.  The string should contain the characters:
+The default value is: m/d/Y.  The string can contain the characters:
 
 .RS
 .RS
@@ -501,13 +501,13 @@ m  minimal-digit month,   for example 1 or 12
 .br
 d  minimal-digit day,     for example 1 or 30
 .br
-y  two-digit year,        for example 09
+y  two-digit year,        for example 09 or 12
 .br
 D  two-digit day,         for example 01 or 30
 .br
 M  two-digit month,       for example 01 or 12
 .br
-Y  four-digit year,       for example 2009
+Y  four-digit year,       for example 2009 or 2012
 .br
 a  short name of weekday, for example Mon or Wed
 .br
@@ -517,9 +517,17 @@ b  short name of month,   for example Jan or Aug
 .br
 B  long name of month,    for example January or August
 .br
-V  weeknumber,            for example 03 or 37
+v  minimal-digit week,    for example 3 or 37
 .br
-H  two-digit hour,        for example 03 or 11
+V  two-digit week,        for example 03 or 37
+.br
+h  minimal-digit hour,    for example 3 or 21
+.br
+n  minimal-digit minutes, for example 5 or 42
+.br
+s  minimal-digit seconds, for example 7 or 47
+.br
+H  two-digit hour,        for example 03 or 21
 .br
 N  two-digit minutes,     for example 05 or 42
 .br
@@ -527,6 +535,11 @@ S  two-digit seconds,     for example 07 or 47
 .RE
 .RE
 
+.RS
+The characters 'v', 'V', 'a' and 'A' can only be used for formatting printed
+dates (not to parse them).
+.RE
+
 .RS
 The string may also contain other characters to act as spacers, or formatting.
 Examples for other values of dateformat:
@@ -550,15 +563,15 @@ Examples for other values of dateformat.report:
 .RS
 .RS
 .br
-a D b Y (V)  would do an output as "Fri 24 Jul 2009 (30)"
+a D b Y (V)   would do an output as "Fri 24 Jul 2009 (30)"
 .br
-A, B D, Y    would do an output as "Friday, July 24, 2009"
+A, B D, Y     would do an output as "Friday, July 24, 2009"
 .br
-vV a Y-M-D   would do an output as "v30 Fri 2009-07-24"
+wV a Y-M-D    would do an output as "w30 Fri 2009-07-24"
 .br
-yMD.HN       would do an output as "110124.2342"
+yMD.HN        would do an output as "110124.2342"
 .br
-m/d/Y H:N    would do an output as "1/24/2011 10:42"
+m/d/Y H:N     would do an output as "1/24/2011 10:42"
 .br
 a D b Y H:N:S would do an output as "Mon 24 Jan 2011 11:19:42"
 .RE
diff --git a/src/Date.cpp b/src/Date.cpp
index be3889e7c..13256e417 100644
--- a/src/Date.cpp
+++ b/src/Date.cpp
@@ -238,10 +238,13 @@ const std::string Date::toString (
     case 'A': sprintf (buffer, "%s",   Date::dayName (dayOfWeek ()).c_str ()); break;
     case 'b': sprintf (buffer, "%.3s", Date::monthName (month ()).c_str ());   break;
     case 'B': sprintf (buffer, "%.9s", Date::monthName (month ()).c_str ());   break;
+    case 'v': sprintf (buffer, "%d",   Date::weekOfYear (Date::dayOfWeek (context.config.get ("weekstart")))); break;
     case 'V': sprintf (buffer, "%02d", Date::weekOfYear (Date::dayOfWeek (context.config.get ("weekstart")))); break;
     case 'h': sprintf (buffer, "%d",   this->hour ());                         break;
     case 'H': sprintf (buffer, "%02d", this->hour ());                         break;
+    case 'n': sprintf (buffer, "%d",   this->minute ());                       break;
     case 'N': sprintf (buffer, "%02d", this->minute ());                       break;
+    case 's': sprintf (buffer, "%d",   this->second ());                       break;
     case 'S': sprintf (buffer, "%02d", this->second ());                       break;
     case 'j': sprintf (buffer, "%d",   this->dayOfYear ());                    break;
     case 'J': sprintf (buffer, "%03d", this->dayOfYear ());                    break;
diff --git a/src/Nibbler.cpp b/src/Nibbler.cpp
index 09a88d73d..dea1bc7b6 100644
--- a/src/Nibbler.cpp
+++ b/src/Nibbler.cpp
@@ -717,6 +717,47 @@ bool Nibbler::getDateISO (time_t& t)
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 #ifdef NIBBLER_FEATURE_DATE
+// Parse the longest integer using the next 'limit' characters of 'result'
+// following position 'i' (when strict is true, the number of digits must be
+// equal to limit).
+bool Nibbler::parseDigits(std::string::size_type& i,
+  int& result,
+  unsigned int limit,
+  bool strict /* = true */)
+{
+  // If the result has already been set
+  if (result != -1)
+    return false;
+  for (unsigned int f = limit; f > 0; --f)
+  {
+    // Check that the nibbler has enough unparsed characters
+    if (i + f <= _length)
+    {
+      // Check that 'f' of them are digits
+      unsigned int g;
+      for (g = 0; g < f; g++)
+        if (! isdigit (_input[i + g]))
+            break;
+      // Parse the integer when it is the case
+      if (g == f)
+      {
+        if (f == 1)
+          result = _input[i] - '0';
+        else
+          result = atoi (_input.substr (i, f).c_str ());
+        // Update the global cursor before returning
+        i += f;
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+    // Do not try smaller limits if the option is strict on the size
+    if (strict)
+      break;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 bool Nibbler::getDate (const std::string& format, time_t& t)
 {
   std::string::size_type i = _cursor;
@@ -728,246 +769,85 @@ bool Nibbler::getDate (const std::string& format, time_t& t)
   int minute = -1;
   int second = -1;
 
+  // For parsing, unused.
+  int wday    = -1;
+  int week    = -1;
+
   for (unsigned int f = 0; f < format.length (); ++f)
   {
     switch (format[f])
     {
     case 'm':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        month = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else if (i + 1 <= _length &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 0]))
-      {
-        month = _input[i] - '0';
-        i += 1;
-      }
-      else
+    case 'M':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, month, 2, format[f] == 'M'))
         return false;
       break;
 
     case 'd':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length        &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else if (i + 1 <= _length &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 0]))
-      {
-        day = _input[i] - '0';
-        i += 1;
-      }
-      else
+    case 'D':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, day, 2, format[f] == 'D'))
         return false;
       break;
 
     case 'y':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        year = 2000 + atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
+    case 'Y':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, year, format[f] == 'y' ? 2 : 4))
+        return false;
+      if (format[f] == 'y')
+          year += 2000;
+      break;
+
+    case 'h':
+    case 'H':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, hour, 2, format[f] == 'H'))
         return false;
       break;
 
-    case 'M':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        month = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
+    case 'n':
+    case 'N':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, minute, 2, format[f] == 'N'))
         return false;
       break;
 
-    case 'D':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
+    case 's':
+    case 'S':
+      if (! parseDigits(i, second, 2, format[f] == 'S'))
         return false;
       break;
 
     // Merely parse, not extract.
+    case 'v':
     case 'V':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'Y':
-      if (i + 4 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 2]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 3]))
-      {
-        year = atoi (_input.substr (i, 4).c_str ());
-        i += 4;
-      }
-      else
+      if (! parseDigits(i, week, 2, format[f] == 'V'))
         return false;
       break;
 
     // Merely parse, not extract.
     case 'a':
-      if (i + 3 <= _length          &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
-        i += 3;
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    // Merely parse, not extract.
-    case 'b':
-      if (i + 3 <= _length          &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
-          ! isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
-      {
-        month = Date::monthOfYear (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str());
-        i += 3;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    // Merely parse, not extract.
     case 'A':
       if (i + 3 <= _length          &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
-        i += Date::dayName (Date::dayOfWeek (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str ())).size ();
+      {
+        wday = Date::dayOfWeek (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str ());
+        i += (format[f] == 'a') ? 3 : Date::dayName (wday).size ();
+      }
       else
         return false;
       break;
 
+    case 'b':
     case 'B':
       if (i + 3 <= _length          &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
           ! isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
       {
-        month = Date::monthOfYear (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str ());
-        i += Date::monthName (month).size ();
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'h':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        hour = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else if (i + 1 <= _length &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 0]))
-      {
-        hour = atoi (_input.substr (i, 1).c_str ());
-        i += 1;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'H':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        hour = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'N':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        minute = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'S':
-      if (i + 2 <= _length &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        second = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'j':
-      if (i + 3 <= _length        &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str ());
-        i += 3;
-      }
-      else if (i + 2 <= _length        &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 1]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 2).c_str ());
-        i += 2;
-      }
-      else if (i + 1 <= _length &&
-               isdigit (_input[i + 0]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 1).c_str ());
-        i += 1;
-      }
-      else
-        return false;
-      break;
-
-    case 'J':
-      if (i + 3 <= _length        &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 0]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 1]) &&
-          isdigit (_input[i + 2]))
-      {
-        day = atoi (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str ());
-        i += 3;
+        if (month != -1)
+          return false;
+        month = Date::monthOfYear (_input.substr (i, 3).c_str());
+        i += (format[f] == 'b') ? 3 : Date::monthName (month).size ();
       }
       else
         return false;
diff --git a/src/Nibbler.h b/src/Nibbler.h
index 4b095b825..5f89a577f 100644
--- a/src/Nibbler.h
+++ b/src/Nibbler.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public:
   bool getPartialUUID (std::string&);
   bool getDateISO (time_t&);
 #ifdef NIBBLER_FEATURE_DATE
+  bool parseDigits(std::string::size_type&, int&, unsigned int, bool strict = true);
   bool getDate (const std::string&, time_t&);
 #endif
   bool getOneOf (const std::vector <std::string>&, std::string&);
diff --git a/test/date.t.cpp b/test/date.t.cpp
index 792fbbc18..3cc604859 100644
--- a/test/date.t.cpp
+++ b/test/date.t.cpp
@@ -207,17 +207,17 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
     t.is (fromString7.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
     t.is (fromString7.year (), 2008, "ctor (std::string) -> y");
 
-    Date fromString8 ("Tue 01 Jan 2008 (01)", "a D b Y (V)");
-    t.is (fromString8.month (),   1, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
-    t.is (fromString8.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
+    Date fromString8 ("Tue 05 Feb 2008 (06)", "a D b Y (V)");
+    t.is (fromString8.month (),   2, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
+    t.is (fromString8.day (),     5, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
     t.is (fromString8.year (), 2008, "ctor (std::string) -> y");
 
-    Date fromString9 ("Tuesday, January 1, 2008", "A, B d, Y");
-    t.is (fromString9.month (),   1, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
-    t.is (fromString9.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
+    Date fromString9 ("Tuesday, February 5, 2008", "A, B d, Y");
+    t.is (fromString9.month (),   2, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
+    t.is (fromString9.day (),     5, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
     t.is (fromString9.year (), 2008, "ctor (std::string) -> y");
 
-    Date fromString10 ("v01 Tue 2008-01-01", "vV a Y-M-D");
+    Date fromString10 ("w01 Tue 2008-01-01", "wV a Y-M-D");
     t.is (fromString10.month (),   1, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
     t.is (fromString10.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
     t.is (fromString10.year (), 2008, "ctor (std::string) -> y");
diff --git a/test/dateformat.t b/test/dateformat.t
index 7273d25d9..79908ef64 100755
--- a/test/dateformat.t
+++ b/test/dateformat.t
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'date3.rc')
             "dateformat=m/d/y\n",
             "dateformat=m/d/y\n",
             "weekstart=Monday\n",
-            "dateformat.info=A D B Y (vV)\n",
-            "dateformat.report=A D B Y (vV)\n";
+            "dateformat.info=A D B Y (wV)\n",
+            "dateformat.report=A D B Y (wV)\n";
   close $fh;
   ok (-r 'date3.rc', 'Created date3.rc');
 }
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ ok (!-r 'pending.data', 'Removed pending.data');
 
 qx{../src/task rc:date3.rc add foo due:4/8/10 2>&1};
 $output = qx{../src/task rc:date3.rc list 2>&1};
-like ($output, qr/Thursday 08 April 2010 \(v14\)/, 'date format A D B Y (vV) parsed');
+like ($output, qr/Thursday 08 April 2010 \(w14\)/, 'date format A D B Y (wV) parsed');
 $output = qx{../src/task rc:date3.rc rc.dateformat.report:"D b Y - a" list 2>&1};
 like ($output, qr/08 Apr 2010 - Thu/, 'date format D b Y - a parsed');
 
diff --git a/test/nibbler.t.cpp b/test/nibbler.t.cpp
index 725844995..0263bc016 100644
--- a/test/nibbler.t.cpp
+++ b/test/nibbler.t.cpp
@@ -545,8 +545,8 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
     t.is (dt.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");
     t.is (dt.year (), 2008, "ctor (std::string) -> y");
 
-    n = Nibbler ("v01 Tue 2008-01-01");
-    t.ok (n.getDate ("vV a Y-M-D", ti), "vV a Y-M-D ok");
+    n = Nibbler ("w01 Tue 2008-01-01");
+    t.ok (n.getDate ("wV a Y-M-D", ti), "wV a Y-M-D ok");
     dt = Date (ti);
     t.is (dt.month (),   1, "ctor (std::string) -> m");
     t.is (dt.day (),     1, "ctor (std::string) -> d");