diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/widgets2.py b/src/calibre/gui2/widgets2.py
index f66d866b4a..d58bd9e65c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/widgets2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/widgets2.py
@@ -580,7 +580,8 @@ class DateTimeEdit(QDateTimeEdit):
     @property
     def mime_data_for_copy(self):
         md = QMimeData()
-        md.setText(self.dateTime().toString())
+        text = self.lineEdit().selectedText()
+        md.setText(text or self.dateTime().toString())
         md.setData(self.MIME_TYPE, self.dateTime().toString(Qt.ISODate).encode('ascii'))
         return md