diff --git a/src/hostname/hostnamed.c b/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
index 2f63ac4dcf9..9ef45f8e75a 100644
--- a/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
+++ b/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
@@ -307,20 +307,20 @@ static int get_firmware_date(usec_t *ret) {
                 return -EINVAL;
 
          unsigned m, d, y;
-         r = safe_atou(month, &m);
+         r = safe_atou_full(month, 10 | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_PLUS_MINUS | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_LEADING_WHITESPACE, &m);
          if (r < 0)
                 return r;
          if (m < 1 || m > 12)
                 return -EINVAL;
          m -= 1;
 
-         r = safe_atou(day, &d);
+         r = safe_atou_full(day, 10 | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_PLUS_MINUS | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_LEADING_WHITESPACE, &d);
          if (r < 0)
                 return r;
          if (d < 1 || d > 31)
                 return -EINVAL;
 
-         r = safe_atou(year, &y);
+         r = safe_atou_full(year, 10 | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_PLUS_MINUS | SAFE_ATO_REFUSE_LEADING_WHITESPACE, &y);
          if (r < 0)
                 return r;
          if (y < 1970 || y > (unsigned) INT_MAX)
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-71.sh b/test/units/testsuite-71.sh
index 6f99ecadd81..9d84dd89ed3 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-71.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-71.sh
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ EOF
     mount -t tmpfs none /sys/class/dmi/id
     echo '1' >/sys/class/dmi/id/uevent
 
-    echo '01/01/2000' >/sys/class/dmi/id/bios_date
+    echo '09/08/2000' >/sys/class/dmi/id/bios_date
     systemctl stop systemd-hostnamed
-    assert_in '2000-01-01' "$(hostnamectl)"
+    assert_in '2000-09-08' "$(hostnamectl)"
 
     echo '2022' >/sys/class/dmi/id/bios_date
     systemctl stop systemd-hostnamed