diff --git a/man/remind.1.in b/man/remind.1.in
index d0a87974..bab8f93e 100644
--- a/man/remind.1.in
+++ b/man/remind.1.in
@@ -515,10 +515,12 @@ In other words, \fB\-i\fIvar\fR is exactly the same as \fB\-i\fIvar\fR\fB=\fR0.
 Allows you to define a function on the command line.
 .PP
 If you supply a \fIdate\fR on the command line, it must consist of
-\fIday month year\fR, where \fIday\fR is the day of the month,
+[\fIday\fR] \fImonth\fR [\fIyear\fR], where \fIday\fR is the day of the month,
 \fImonth\fR is at least the first three letters of the English name
 of the month, and \fIyear\fR is a year (all 4 digits) from 1990 to
 about 2075.  You can leave out the \fIday\fR, which then defaults to 1.
+If you leave out the year, then it defaults to the current year.  You
+cannot leave out the \fImonth\fR.
 .PP
 If you do supply a \fIdate\fR on the command line, then \fBRemind\fR
 uses it, rather than the actual system date, as its notion of "today."
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 264619eb..33036baa 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -806,16 +806,13 @@ void InitRemind(int argc, char const *argv[])
         if (dse != NO_DATE) {
             FromDSE(dse, &y, &m, &d);
         }
-/* Must supply date in the form:  day, mon, yr OR mon, yr */
+        /* Must supply date in the form:  day, mon, yr OR mon, yr */
         if (m != NO_MON || y != NO_YR || d != NO_DAY) {
-            if (m == NO_MON || y == NO_YR) {
-                if (rep == NO_REP) Usage();
-                else if (m != NO_MON || y != NO_YR) Usage();
-                else {
-                    m = CurMon;
-                    y = CurYear;
-                    if (d == NO_DAY) d = CurDay;
-                }
+            if (y == NO_YR) {
+                y = CurYear;
+            }
+            if (m == NO_MON) {
+                Usage();
             }
             if (d == NO_DAY) d=1;
             if (d > DaysInMonth(m, y)) {