diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 4d1c1a250..4dbe93fee 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ if RELEASE
 else
 %C%_libopenocd_la_CPPFLAGS += -DRELSTR=\"`$(top_srcdir)/guess-rev.sh $(top_srcdir)`\"
 %C%_libopenocd_la_CPPFLAGS += -DGITVERSION=\"`cd $(top_srcdir) && git describe`\"
-%C%_libopenocd_la_CPPFLAGS += -DPKGBLDDATE=\"`date +%F-%R`\"
+%C%_libopenocd_la_CPPFLAGS += -DPKGBLDDATE=\"`DATE_FMT=+%F-%R; \
+	SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH="$${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH:-$$(date +%s)}"; \
+	date -u -d "@$$SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH" "$$DATE_FMT" 2>/dev/null || \
+	date -u -r "$$SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH" "$$DATE_FMT" 2>/dev/null || date -u "$$DATE_FMT"`\"
 endif
 
 # add default CPPFLAGS