diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/.cvsignore b/src/backend/file/test/.cvsignore
index 24fb26a6e5..addf269285 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/.cvsignore
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+test-date-converting
 test-dom-converters1
 test-kvp-frames
 test-string-converters
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/Makefile.am b/src/backend/file/test/Makefile.am
index 393413b910..00f0fd1a25 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 TESTS = \
+  test-date-converting \
   test-dom-converters1 \
   test-kvp-frames \
   test-load-example-account \
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libgnc-test-file-stuff.la
 libgnc_test_file_stuff_la_SOURCES = test-file-stuff.c
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = \
+  test-date-converting \
   test-dom-converters1 \
   test-kvp-frames \
   test-load-example-account \
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-date-converting.c b/src/backend/file/test/test-date-converting.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e1c39c2a19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-date-converting.c
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "test-stuff.h"
+#include "test-engine-stuff.h"
+#include "test-file-stuff.h"
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "sixtp-utils.h"
+#include "sixtp-dom-generators.h"
+
+int
+main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for(i = 0; i < 20; i++)
+    {
+        Timespec *spec1;
+        Timespec spec2;
+        gchar *sec_str;
+        gchar *nsec_str;
+        
+        spec1 = get_random_timespec();
+
+        sec_str = timespec_sec_to_string(spec1);
+        nsec_str = timespec_nsec_to_string(spec1);
+
+        if(!string_to_timespec_secs(sec_str, &spec2))
+        {
+            failure_args("string_to_timespec_secs", __FILE__, __LINE__, 
+                         "string is %s", sec_str);
+        }
+
+        else if(!string_to_timespec_nsecs(nsec_str, &spec2))
+        {
+            failure_args("string_to_timespec_nsecs", __FILE__, __LINE__, 
+                         "string is %s", nsec_str);
+        }
+
+        else if(spec1->tv_sec != spec2.tv_sec)
+        {
+            failure_args("timespec_secs", __FILE__, __LINE__, 
+                         "not equal ints are %lld and %lld\n",
+                         spec1->tv_sec, spec2.tv_sec);
+        }
+
+        else if(spec1->tv_nsec != spec2.tv_nsec)
+        {
+            failure_args("timespec_nsecs", __FILE__, __LINE__, 
+                         "not equal ints are %ld and %ld\n",
+                         spec1->tv_nsec, spec2.tv_nsec);
+        }
+
+        else
+        {
+            success("timespec");
+        }
+
+        g_free(spec1);
+        g_free(sec_str);
+        g_free(nsec_str);
+    }
+    print_test_results();
+    exit(get_rv());
+}