diff --git a/src/core/ngx_times.c b/src/core/ngx_times.c
index ef63f1e3d..b2edf1a5f 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_times.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_times.c
@@ -311,6 +311,16 @@ ngx_gmtime(time_t t, ngx_tm_t *tp)
     days = t / 86400;
     sec = t % 86400;
 
+    /*
+     * no more than 4 year digits supported,
+     * truncate to December 31, 9999, 23:59:59
+     */
+
+    if (days > 2932896) {
+        days = 2932896;
+        sec = 86399;
+    }
+
     /* January 1, 1970 was Thursday */
 
     wday = (4 + days) % 7;