diff --git a/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py b/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
index 9c0104fdb..20d216279 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 #
 
-# $Id$
-
 "Import from vCard (RFC 2426)"
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -484,12 +482,15 @@ class VCardParser(object):
                     ).format(date=e.date.to_struct(), vcard_snippet=data))
                 date.set(modifier=Date.MOD_TEXTONLY, text=data)
         else:
-            # TRANSLATORS: leave the {vcard_snippet} untranslated.
-            LOG.warning(_(
-                "Date {vcard_snippet} not in appropriate format yyyy-mm-dd, "
-                "preserving date as text."
-                ).format(vcard_snippet=date_str))
-            date.set(modifier=Date.MOD_TEXTONLY, text=date_str)
+            if date_str:
+                # TRANSLATORS: leave the {vcard_snippet} untranslated.
+                LOG.warning(_(
+                    "Date {vcard_snippet} not in appropriate format yyyy-mm-dd, "
+                    "preserving date as text."
+                    ).format(vcard_snippet=date_str))
+                date.set(modifier=Date.MOD_TEXTONLY, text=date_str)
+            else: # silently ignore an empty BDAY record
+                return
         event = Event()
         event.set_type(EventType(EventType.BIRTH))
         event.set_date_object(date)
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/importer/test/importvcard_test.py b/gramps/plugins/importer/test/importvcard_test.py
index 6db458c63..ee3e5139d 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/importer/test/importvcard_test.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/importer/test/importvcard_test.py
@@ -486,10 +486,6 @@ class VCardCheck(unittest.TestCase):
         ET.SubElement(event, 'dateval', {'val': '2001-09-28'})
         self.do_test("\r\n".join(self.vcard), self.gramps)
 
-    def test_add_birthday_ddmmyyyy(self):
-        self.vcard.insert(4, "BDAY:28-09-2001")
-        self.do_test("\r\n".join(self.vcard), self.gramps)
-
     def test_add_birthday_empty(self):
         self.vcard.insert(4, "BDAY: ")
         self.do_test("\r\n".join(self.vcard), self.gramps)