diff --git a/resources/default_tweaks.py b/resources/default_tweaks.py
index 07aee5c6fa..e03b0680be 100644
--- a/resources/default_tweaks.py
+++ b/resources/default_tweaks.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ bool_custom_columns_are_tristate = 'yes'
 # title within authors.
 sort_columns_at_startup = None
 
-# Format to be used for publication date
+# Format to be used for publication date and the timestamp (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)
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ sort_columns_at_startup = None
 #  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
+# publication default if not set: MMM yyyy
+# timestamp default if not set: dd MMM yyyy
 gui_pubdate_display_format = 'MMM yyyy'
+gui_timestamp_display_format = 'dd MMM yyyy'
 
 # Control title and series sorting in the library view.
 # If set to 'library_order', Leading articles such as The and A will be ignored.
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
index 40f7a2e4e0..d98d9a240b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
@@ -98,14 +98,14 @@ class DateDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate): # {{{
         d = val.toDate()
         if d <= UNDEFINED_QDATE:
             return ''
-        return format_date(d.toPyDate(), 'dd MMM yyyy')
+        format = tweaks['gui_timestamp_display_format']
+        if format is None:
+            format = 'dd MMM yyyy'
+        return format_date(d.toPyDate(), format)
 
     def createEditor(self, parent, option, index):
         qde = QStyledItemDelegate.createEditor(self, parent, option, index)
-        stdformat = unicode(qde.displayFormat())
-        if 'yyyy' not in stdformat:
-            stdformat = stdformat.replace('yy', 'yyyy')
-        qde.setDisplayFormat(stdformat)
+        qde.setDisplayFormat('dd MMM yyyy')
         qde.setMinimumDate(UNDEFINED_QDATE)
         qde.setSpecialValueText(_('Undefined'))
         qde.setCalendarPopup(True)