diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
index e3ee45ed8..486c12980 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
@@ -474,10 +474,10 @@ ymd :: GenParser Char st SmartDate
 ymd = do
   y <- many1 digit
   failIfInvalidYear y
-  datesepchar
+  sep <- datesepchar
   m <- many1 digit
   failIfInvalidMonth m
-  datesepchar
+  char sep
   d <- many1 digit
   failIfInvalidDay d
   return $ (y,m,d)