diff --git a/includes/common.inc b/includes/common.inc
index 37a999d3127..1ba5d3ddb2b 100644
--- a/includes/common.inc
+++ b/includes/common.inc
@@ -499,10 +499,10 @@ function format_date($timestamp, $type = "medium", $format = "") {
 
   switch ($type) {
     case "small":
-      $date = date("m/d/y - H:i", $timestamp);
+      $date = date(variable_get("date_format", "m/d/Y - H:i"), $timestamp);
       break;
     case "medium":
-      $date = t(date("l", $timestamp)) .", ". date("m/d/Y - H:i", $timestamp);
+      $date = t(date("l", $timestamp)) .", ". date(variable_get("date_format", "m/d/Y - H:i"), $timestamp);
       break;
     case "large":
       $date = t(date("l", $timestamp)) .", ". t(date("F", $timestamp)) ." ". date("d, Y - H:i", $timestamp);
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ function format_date($timestamp, $type = "medium", $format = "") {
       }
       break;
     default:
-      $date = t(date("l", $timestamp)) .", ". date("m/d/Y - H:i", $timestamp);
+      $date = t(date("l", $timestamp)) .", ". date(variable_get("date_format", "m/d/Y - H:i"), $timestamp);
   }
   return $date;
 }
diff --git a/modules/system.module b/modules/system.module
index 4e4faf39709..bc625b3189d 100644
--- a/modules/system.module
+++ b/modules/system.module
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ function system_view_options() {
   $output .= form_select("Maximum comment rate", "max_comment_rate", variable_get("max_comment_rate", 120), $rate, "The maximum submission rate for comments.  Its purpose is to stop potential abuse or denial of service attacks.");
   $output .= "<hr />\n";
 
+  // date settings:
+  $output .= "<h3>Date format setting</h3>\n";
+  $output .= form_select("Date format", "date_format", variable_get("date_format", "m/d/Y - H:i"), array("m/d/Y - H:i" => "m/d/Y - H:i", "d/m/Y - H:i" => "d/m/Y - H:i", "Y/m/d - H:i" => "Y/m/d - H:i"), "The format in which dates are displayed");
+  $output .= "<hr />\n";
+
   // comment settings:
   $output .= "<h3>Comment settings</h3>\n";
   $output .= form_select("Default display mode", "default_comment_mode", $conf["default_comment_mode"], $cmodes, "The default mode in which comments are displayed.");
diff --git a/modules/system/system.module b/modules/system/system.module
index 4e4faf39709..bc625b3189d 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/modules/system/system.module
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ function system_view_options() {
   $output .= form_select("Maximum comment rate", "max_comment_rate", variable_get("max_comment_rate", 120), $rate, "The maximum submission rate for comments.  Its purpose is to stop potential abuse or denial of service attacks.");
   $output .= "<hr />\n";
 
+  // date settings:
+  $output .= "<h3>Date format setting</h3>\n";
+  $output .= form_select("Date format", "date_format", variable_get("date_format", "m/d/Y - H:i"), array("m/d/Y - H:i" => "m/d/Y - H:i", "d/m/Y - H:i" => "d/m/Y - H:i", "Y/m/d - H:i" => "Y/m/d - H:i"), "The format in which dates are displayed");
+  $output .= "<hr />\n";
+
   // comment settings:
   $output .= "<h3>Comment settings</h3>\n";
   $output .= form_select("Default display mode", "default_comment_mode", $conf["default_comment_mode"], $cmodes, "The default mode in which comments are displayed.");