diff --git a/src/model/types/DateType.php b/src/model/types/DateType.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2459b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/model/types/DateType.php
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace mindplay\sql\model\types;
+
+class DateType extends TimestampType
+{
+    const FORMAT = 'Y-m-d';
+}
diff --git a/src/model/types/TimestampType.php b/src/model/types/TimestampType.php
index fc74a9d..09bf1d8 100644
--- a/src/model/types/TimestampType.php
+++ b/src/model/types/TimestampType.php
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public function convertToPHP($value)
             return $value; // return NULL value as-is
         }
 
-        $datetime = DateTime::createFromFormat(static::FORMAT, $value, self::$utc_timezone);
+        $datetime = DateTime::createFromFormat('!' . static::FORMAT, $value, self::$utc_timezone);
 
         if ($datetime === false) {
             throw new UnexpectedValueException("unable to convert value from int: " . $value);
diff --git a/test/fixtures.php b/test/fixtures.php
index c2e57e1..f3871fd 100644
--- a/test/fixtures.php
+++ b/test/fixtures.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use mindplay\sql\model\schema\Schema;
 use mindplay\sql\model\schema\Table;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\BoolType;
+use mindplay\sql\model\types\DateType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\IntType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\StringType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\TimestampType;
@@ -150,6 +151,11 @@ public function dob($alias)
         return $this->requiredColumn(__FUNCTION__, TimestampType::class, $alias);
     }
 
+    public function birthday($alias)
+    {
+        return $this->requiredColumn(__FUNCTION__, DateType::class, $alias);
+    }
+
     public function home_address_id($alias)
     {
         return $this->requiredColumn(__FUNCTION__, IntType::class, $alias);
diff --git a/test/test-unit.php b/test/test-unit.php
index 08d3b4a..50e4ce3 100644
--- a/test/test-unit.php
+++ b/test/test-unit.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 use mindplay\sql\model\query\SelectQuery;
 use mindplay\sql\model\schema\Column;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\BoolType;
+use mindplay\sql\model\types\DateType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\IntType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\JSONType;
 use mindplay\sql\model\types\StringType;
@@ -754,6 +755,19 @@ function () {
     }
 );
 
+test(
+    'can map DATE to Unix timestamps',
+    function () {
+        $type = new DateType();
+
+        $valid_date = '2015-11-04';
+        $valid_timestamp = 1446595200;
+
+        eq($type->convertToPHP($valid_date), $valid_timestamp, "can convert to PHP value");
+        eq($type->convertToSQL($valid_timestamp), $valid_date, "can convert to SQL DATE value");
+    }
+);
+
 test(
     'can map PHP values to JSON',
     function () {
@@ -840,7 +854,7 @@ function () {
 
         $columns = $user->listColumns();
 
-        eq(count($columns), 6);
+        eq(count($columns), 7);
 
         foreach ($columns as $column) {
             ok($column instanceof Column);
@@ -1084,6 +1098,7 @@ function () {
             'first_name'      => StringType::class,
             'last_name'       => StringType::class,
             'dob'             => TimestampType::class,
+            'birthday'        => DateType::class,
             'home_address_id' => IntType::class,
             'deleted'         => BoolType::class,
         ];