diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/date.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/date.c
index d66f640..8dddd07 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/date.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/date.c
@@ -248,10 +248,15 @@ make_date(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	tm.tm_mday = PG_GETARG_INT32(2);
 
 	/*
-	 * Note: we'll reject zero or negative year values.  Perhaps negatives
-	 * should be allowed to represent BC years?
+	 * Note: Non-positive years are take to be BCE.
 	 */
-	dterr = ValidateDate(DTK_DATE_M, false, false, false, &tm);
+	if (tm.tm_year >= 0)
+		dterr = ValidateDate(DTK_DATE_M, false, false, false, &tm);
+	else
+	{
+		tm.tm_year = -1 * tm.tm_year;
+		dterr = ValidateDate(DTK_DATE_M, false, false, true, &tm);
+	}
 
 	if (dterr != 0)
 		ereport(ERROR,
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/date.out b/src/test/regress/expected/date.out
index 8923f60..73b3062 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/date.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/date.out
@@ -1191,6 +1191,12 @@ select make_date(2013, 7, 15);
  07-15-2013
 (1 row)
 
+select make_date(-44, 3, 15);  -- Non-positive years are BCE
+   make_date   
+---------------
+ 03-15-0044 BC
+(1 row)
+
 select make_time(8, 20, 0.0);
  make_time 
 -----------
@@ -1204,8 +1210,6 @@ select make_date(2013, 13, 1);
 ERROR:  date field value out of range: 2013-13-01
 select make_date(2013, 11, -1);
 ERROR:  date field value out of range: 2013-11--1
-select make_date(-44, 3, 15);  -- perhaps we should allow this sometime?
-ERROR:  date field value out of range: -44-03-15
 select make_time(10, 55, 100.1);
 ERROR:  time field value out of range: 10:55:100.1
 select make_time(24, 0, 2.1);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/date.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/date.sql
index a62e92a..e6bff17 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/date.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/date.sql
@@ -279,11 +279,11 @@ select isfinite('infinity'::date), isfinite('-infinity'::date), isfinite('today'
 
 -- test constructors
 select make_date(2013, 7, 15);
+select make_date(-44, 3, 15);  -- Non-positive years are BCE
 select make_time(8, 20, 0.0);
 -- should fail
 select make_date(2013, 2, 30);
 select make_date(2013, 13, 1);
 select make_date(2013, 11, -1);
-select make_date(-44, 3, 15);  -- perhaps we should allow this sometime?
 select make_time(10, 55, 100.1);
 select make_time(24, 0, 2.1);