diff --git a/rc/bin/newt b/rc/bin/newt
index d22f30129..32e0b51b7 100755
--- a/rc/bin/newt
+++ b/rc/bin/newt
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ fn fmtd{
 	if(! ~ $date(1) [0-9]*)
 		date=`{nshift $date}
 	da=$date(1)
+	if(~ $da [0-9])
+		da=0^$da
 	switch($date(2)){
 	case Jan;	mo=1
 	case Feb;	mo=2