diff --git a/resources/default_tweaks.py b/resources/default_tweaks.py
index b18789565d..5c15651f9c 100644
--- a/resources/default_tweaks.py
+++ b/resources/default_tweaks.py
@@ -41,4 +41,23 @@ bool_custom_columns_are_tristate = 'yes'
 #  Order is 0 for ascending, 1 for descending
 # For example, set it to [('authors',0),('title',0)] to sort by
 # title within authors.
-sort_columns_at_startup = None
\ No newline at end of file
+sort_columns_at_startup = None
+
+# Format to be used for publication date
+#  A string controlling how the publication date is displayed in the GUI
+#  d    the day as number without a leading zero (1 to 31)
+#  dd    the day as number with a leading zero (01 to 31)
+#  ddd    the abbreviated localized day name (e.g. 'Mon' to 'Sun').
+#  dddd    the long localized day name (e.g. 'Monday' to 'Qt::Sunday').
+#  M    the month as number without a leading zero (1-12)
+#  MM    the month as number with a leading zero (01-12)
+#  MMM    the abbreviated localized month name (e.g. 'Jan' to 'Dec').
+#  MMMM    the long localized month name (e.g. 'January' to 'December').
+#  yy    the year as two digit number (00-99)
+#  yyyy    the year as four digit number
+#  For example, given the date of 9 Jan 2010, the following formats show
+#  MMM yyyy ==> Jan 2010    yyyy ==> 2010       dd MMM yyyy ==> 09 Jan 2010
+#  MM/yyyy ==> 01/2010      d/M/yy ==> 9/1/10   yy ==> 10
+# default if not set: MMM yyyy
+gui_pubdate_display_format = 'MMM yyyy'
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index 95a2102cc1..1ea6743ae2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
         self.cpixmap = None
         self.cover.setAcceptDrops(True)
         self.pubdate.setMinimumDate(QDate(100,1,1))
+        pubdate_format = tweaks['gui_pubdate_display_format']
+        if pubdate_format is not None:
+            self.pubdate.setDisplayFormat(pubdate_format)
         self.date.setMinimumDate(QDate(100,1,1))
 
         self.connect(self.cover, SIGNAL('cover_changed(PyQt_PyObject)'), self.cover_dropped)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
index ba9a5b0b29..e40403f1f4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
@@ -124,7 +124,10 @@ class PubDateDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate):
         d = val.toDate()
         if d == UNDEFINED_QDATE:
             return ''
-        return d.toString('MMM yyyy')
+        format = tweaks['gui_pubdate_display_format']
+        if format is None:
+            format = 'MMM yyyy'
+        return d.toString(format)
 
     def createEditor(self, parent, option, index):
         qde = QStyledItemDelegate.createEditor(self, parent, option, index)