diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mv.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mv.c
index d536c5962c99..d15a999363fc 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mv.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mv.c
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ static int __init mv_rtc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	struct resource *res;
 	struct rtc_plat_data *pdata;
 	u32 rtc_time;
+	u32 rtc_date;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	pdata = devm_kzalloc(&pdev->dev, sizeof(*pdata), GFP_KERNEL);
@@ -257,6 +258,17 @@ static int __init mv_rtc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * A date after January 19th, 2038 does not fit on 32 bits and
+	 * will confuse the kernel and userspace. Reset to a sane date
+	 * (January 1st, 2013) if we're after 2038.
+	 */
+	rtc_date = readl(pdata->ioaddr + RTC_DATE_REG_OFFS);
+	if (bcd2bin((rtc_date >> RTC_YEAR_OFFS) & 0xff) >= 38) {
+		dev_info(&pdev->dev, "invalid RTC date, resetting to January 1st, 2013\n");
+		writel(0x130101, pdata->ioaddr + RTC_DATE_REG_OFFS);
+	}
+
 	pdata->irq = platform_get_irq(pdev, 0);
 
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, pdata);