diff --git a/mitab/mitab_feature.cpp b/mitab/mitab_feature.cpp
index de2a004..efd6e41 100644
--- a/mitab/mitab_feature.cpp
+++ b/mitab/mitab_feature.cpp
@@ -620,6 +620,9 @@ int TABFeature::WriteRecordToDATFile(TABDATFile *poDATFile,
                 GetFieldAsDateTime(iField, &nYear, &nMon, &nDay,
                                    &nHour, &nMin, &nSec, &nTZFlag);
              }
+             else
+                 nYear = nMon = nDay = 0;
+
              nStatus = poDATFile->WriteDateField(nYear, nMon, nDay,
                                                  poINDFile, panIndexNo[iField]);
 #else
@@ -653,6 +656,9 @@ int TABFeature::WriteRecordToDATFile(TABDATFile *poDATFile,
                 GetFieldAsDateTime(iField, &nYear, &nMon, &nDay,
                                    &nHour, &nMin, &nSec, &nTZFlag);
              }
+             else
+                 nYear = nMon = nDay = nHour = nMin = nSec = 0;
+
              nStatus = poDATFile->WriteDateTimeField(nYear, nMon, nDay, 
                                                      nHour, nMin, nSec, 0,
                                                      poINDFile, panIndexNo[iField]);