--- date-orig.c	Sun Aug  1 06:59:22 1999
+++ date.c	Tue Oct  9 14:49:17 2001
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@
   time_t when;
   int set_date = 0;
   char *format;
+  char *default_format;
   char *batch_file = NULL;
   char *reference = NULL;
   struct stat refstats;
@@ -360,6 +361,8 @@
 			   + (batch_file ? 1 : 0)
 			   + (reference ? 1 : 0));
 
+  default_format = getenv("DATE_DEFAULT_FORMAT");
+
   if (option_specified_date > 1)
     {
       error (0, 0,
@@ -397,7 +400,7 @@
   if (batch_file != NULL)
     {
       status = batch_convert (batch_file,
-			      (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : NULL));
+			      (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : default_format));
     }
   else
     {
@@ -413,14 +416,14 @@
 	      datestr = argv[optind];
 	      when = posixtime (datestr,
 				PDS_TRAILING_YEAR | PDS_CENTURY | PDS_SECONDS);
-	      format = NULL;
+	      format = default_format;
 	    }
 	  else
 	    {
 	      /* Prepare to print the current date/time.  */
 	      datestr = _("undefined");
 	      time (&when);
-	      format = (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : NULL);
+	      format = (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : default_format);
 	    }
 	}
       else
@@ -437,7 +440,7 @@
 	      when = get_date (datestr, NULL);
 	    }
 
-	  format = (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : NULL);
+	  format = (n_args == 1 ? argv[optind] + 1 : default_format);
 	}
 
       if (when == -1)