diff --git a/app/models/profile.rb b/app/models/profile.rb
index 0160f6689..77341a8a9 100644
--- a/app/models/profile.rb
+++ b/app/models/profile.rb
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
   validates_format_of :first_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/, :allow_blank => true
   validates_format_of :last_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/, :allow_blank => true
   validate :max_tags
+  validate :valid_birthday
 
   attr_accessible :first_name, :last_name, :image_url, :image_url_medium,
     :image_url_small, :birthday, :gender, :bio, :location, :searchable, :date, :tag_string
@@ -105,8 +106,11 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
   def date= params
     if ['month', 'day'].all? { |key| params[key].present?  }
       params['year'] = '1000' if params['year'].blank?
-      date = Date.new(params['year'].to_i, params['month'].to_i, params['day'].to_i)
-      self.birthday = date
+      if Date.valid_civil?(params['year'].to_i, params['month'].to_i, params['day'].to_i)
+        self.birthday = Date.new(params['year'].to_i, params['month'].to_i, params['day'].to_i)
+      else
+        @invalid_birthday_date = true
+      end
     elsif [ 'year', 'month', 'day'].all? { |key| params[key].blank? }
       self.birthday = nil
     end
@@ -140,6 +144,13 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
+  def valid_birthday
+    if @invalid_birthday_date
+      errors.add(:birthday)
+      @invalid_birthday_date = nil
+    end
+  end
+
   private
   def absolutify_local_url url
     pod_url = AppConfig[:pod_url].dup
diff --git a/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
index 28da2f5ca..910558b76 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
@@ -68,6 +68,32 @@ describe ProfilesController do
       @user.person(true).profile.tag_list.to_set.should == ['apples', 'oranges', 'bananas'].to_set
     end
 
+    it 'sets valid birthday' do
+      params = { :id => @user.person.id,
+                 :profile => {
+                   :date => {
+                     :year => '2001',
+                     :month => '02',
+                     :day => '28' } } }
+
+      put :update, params
+      @user.person(true).profile.birthday.year.should == 2001
+      @user.person(true).profile.birthday.month.should == 2
+      @user.person(true).profile.birthday.day.should == 28
+    end
+
+    it 'displays error for invalid birthday' do
+      params = { :id => @user.person.id,
+                 :profile => {
+                   :date => {
+                     :year => '2001',
+                     :month => '02',
+                     :day => '31' } } }
+
+      put :update, params
+      flash[:error].should_not be_blank
+    end
+
     context 'with a profile photo set' do
       before do
         @params = { :id => @user.person.id,
diff --git a/spec/models/profile_spec.rb b/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
index 7ee762c6f..2ce3ce6fb 100644
--- a/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
@@ -183,6 +183,20 @@ describe Profile do
       profile.date = { 'year' => '2001', 'month' => '', 'day' => ''}
       profile.birthday.should == nil
     end
+
+    it 'does not accept invalid dates' do
+      profile.birthday = nil
+      profile.date = { 'year' => '2001', 'month' => '02', 'day' => '31' }
+      profile.birthday.should == nil
+    end
+
+    it 'does not change with invalid dates' do
+      profile.birthday = Date.new(2000, 1, 1)
+      profile.date = { 'year' => '2001', 'month' => '02', 'day' => '31' }
+      profile.birthday.year.should == 2000
+      profile.birthday.month.should == 1
+      profile.birthday.day.should == 1
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'tags' do