diff --git a/gluon/dal.py b/gluon/dal.py
index ea1107de..3180ecce 100644
--- a/gluon/dal.py
+++ b/gluon/dal.py
@@ -6124,7 +6124,7 @@ class IMAPAdapter(NoSQLAdapter):
         else:
             return (uid_list[0], uid_list[-1])
 
-    def convert_date(self, date, add=None):
+    def convert_date(self, date, add=None, imf=False):
         if add is None:
             add = datetime.timedelta()
         """ Convert a date object to a string
@@ -6138,7 +6138,10 @@ class IMAPAdapter(NoSQLAdapter):
         if isinstance(date, basestring):
             # Prevent unexpected date response format
             try:
-                dayname, datestring = date.split(",")
+                if "," in date:
+                    dayname, datestring = date.split(",")
+                else:
+                    dayname, datestring = None, date
                 date_list = datestring.strip().split()
                 year = int(date_list[2])
                 month = months.index(date_list[1].upper())
@@ -6151,7 +6154,9 @@ class IMAPAdapter(NoSQLAdapter):
                              (date, e))
                 return None
         elif isinstance(date, (datetime.date, datetime.datetime)):
-            return (date + add).strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z")
+            if imf: date_format = "%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z"
+            else: date_format = "%d-%b-%Y"
+            return (date + add).strftime(date_format)
         else:
             return None
 
@@ -6548,7 +6553,7 @@ class IMAPAdapter(NoSQLAdapter):
                 message = Message()
                 message["from"] = d.get("sender", "")
                 message["subject"] = d.get("subject", "")
-                message["date"] = self.convert_date(date_time)
+                message["date"] = self.convert_date(date_time, imf=True)
 
                 if mime:
                     message.set_type(mime)