diff --git a/lib/mu-query.cc b/lib/mu-query.cc
index 5bdb1024..969d4be9 100644
--- a/lib/mu-query.cc
+++ b/lib/mu-query.cc
@@ -64,10 +64,16 @@ private:
 		const char* str;
 		time_t t;
 
-		str = mu_date_interpret_s (s.c_str(), is_begin ? TRUE: FALSE);
-		str = mu_date_complete_s (str, is_begin ? TRUE: FALSE);
-		t   = mu_date_str_to_time_t (str, TRUE /*local*/);
-		str = mu_date_time_t_to_str_s (t, FALSE /*UTC*/);
+		// note: if s is empty and not is_begin, xapian seems
+		// to repeat it.
+		if (s.empty() || g_str_has_suffix (s.c_str(), "..")) {
+			str = mu_date_complete_s ("", is_begin);
+		} else {
+			str = mu_date_interpret_s (s.c_str(), is_begin ? TRUE: FALSE);
+			str = mu_date_complete_s (str, is_begin ? TRUE: FALSE);
+			t   = mu_date_str_to_time_t (str, TRUE /*local*/);
+			str = mu_date_time_t_to_str_s (t, FALSE /*UTC*/);
+		}
 
 		return s = std::string(str);
 	}