diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 198005c..f2ecf7c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 
+Version 0.4.7   - ???
+  * Fixed a bug where archivemail would abort if it received a date header
+    with a completely blank value.
+
 Version 0.4.6   - 6 May 2002
   * Fixed a bug where the os.rename() calls could fail if we were moving
     temporary files across different filesystems/partitions.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dea2285..8979dee 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-VERSION=0.4.6
+VERSION=0.4.7
 VERSION_TAG=v$(subst .,_,$(VERSION))
 TARFILE=archivemail-$(VERSION).tar.gz
 
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ sdist: clobber doc
 	cp archivemail.py archivemail
 	fakeroot python setup.py sdist
 	rm archivemail
+
+bdist_rpm: clobber doc
+	cp archivemail.py archivemail
+	fakeroot python setup.py bdist_rpm
+	rm archivemail
+
 tag:
 	cvs tag -F current
 	cvs tag -F $(VERSION_TAG)
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 31968e5..f11f40c 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-Goals for next minor release (0.4.7):
+Goals for next minor release (0.4.8):
 -------------------------------------
 * Think about the best way to specify the names of archives created with
   possibly an --archive-name option.
diff --git a/archivemail.py b/archivemail.py
index 8020e89..dd19e0d 100755
--- a/archivemail.py
+++ b/archivemail.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Website: http://archivemail.sourceforge.net/
 """
 
 # global administrivia 
-__version__ = "archivemail v0.4.6"
+__version__ = "archivemail v0.4.7"
 __cvs_id__ = "$Id$"
 __copyright__ = """Copyright (C) 2002  Paul Rodger <paul@paulrodger.com>
 This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
@@ -670,14 +670,14 @@ def guess_delivery_time(message):
     # try to guess the delivery date from various headers
     # get more desparate as we go through the array
     for header in ('Delivery-date', 'Date', 'Resent-Date'):
-        date = message.getdate(header)
-        if date:
-            try:
+        try:
+            date = message.getdate(header)
+            if date:
                 time_message = time.mktime(date)
                 assert(time_message)
                 vprint("using valid time found from '%s' header" % header)
                 return time_message
-            except (ValueError, OverflowError): pass
+        except (IndexError, ValueError, OverflowError): pass
     # as a second-last resort, try the date from the 'From_' line (ugly)
     # this will only work from a mbox-format mailbox
     if (message.unixfrom):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8c7a7f8..43743ec 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ check_python_version()  # define & run this early - 'distutils.core' is new
 from distutils.core import setup
 
 setup(name="archivemail",
-      version="0.4.6",
+      version="0.4.7",
       description="archive and compress old email",
       license="GNU GPL",
       url="http://archivemail.sourceforge.net/",
diff --git a/test_archivemail.py b/test_archivemail.py
index 18d6f4f..0af5f7a 100755
--- a/test_archivemail.py
+++ b/test_archivemail.py
@@ -563,6 +563,15 @@ This is after the ^From line"""
                 'Date' : None,
                 'Resent-Date' : 'Fri, 28 Jul 2000 16:11:36 +1000',
             },
+            {   # completely blank dates were crashing < version 0.4.7
+                'From_' : 'sender@dummy.domain Fri Jul 28 16:11:36 2000',
+                'Date'  : '',
+            },
+            {   # completely blank dates were crashing < version 0.4.7
+                'From_' : 'sender@dummy.domain Fri Jul 28 16:11:36 2000',
+                'Date'  : '',
+                'Resent-Date'  : '',
+            },
         )
         for headers in weird_headers:
             self.setUp()