Index: frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProvider.java
===================================================================
--- frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProvider.java	(revision 23081)
+++ frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProvider.java	(revision )
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 package org.hippoecm.frontend.model;
 
-import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -247,8 +246,6 @@
         switch (propertyType) {
         case PropertyType.BOOLEAN:
             return factory.createValue(false);
-        case PropertyType.DATE:
-            return factory.createValue(Calendar.getInstance());
         case PropertyType.DOUBLE:
             return factory.createValue(0.0);
         case PropertyType.LONG:
Index: frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/properties/JcrPropertyValueModel.java
===================================================================
--- frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/properties/JcrPropertyValueModel.java	(revision 21509)
+++ frontend/engine/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/properties/JcrPropertyValueModel.java	(revision )
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 
     public static final int NO_INDEX = -1;
 
-    private static final int NO_TYPE = -1;
+    private static final int NO_TYPE = 0;
 
     // dynamically reload value
     private transient boolean loaded = false;
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
                     }
                 }
             } catch (RepositoryException e) {
-                log.error(e.getMessage());
+                log.error("An exception occured while trying to set value: {}", e.getMessage());
             }
         } else {
             log.error("unable to set property, no definition found");
Index: frontend/test/src/test/resources/frontendtest.cnd
===================================================================
--- frontend/test/src/test/resources/frontendtest.cnd	(revision 23273)
+++ frontend/test/src/test/resources/frontendtest.cnd	(revision )
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 - frontendtest:string (string)
 - frontendtest:strings (string) multiple
 - frontendtest:mandatory (string) = 'test' mandatory
+- frontendtest:date (date)
 
 [frontendtest:ordered] orderable
 - frontendtest:property (string) multiple
Index: addon/yui/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/plugins/yui/datetime/YuiDateTimeField.java
===================================================================
--- addon/yui/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/plugins/yui/datetime/YuiDateTimeField.java	(revision 23098)
+++ addon/yui/src/main/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/plugins/yui/datetime/YuiDateTimeField.java	(revision )
@@ -148,26 +148,28 @@
     }
 
     private void updateDateTime(Date date, Integer hours, Integer minutes) {
+        if(date!=null) {
-        MutableDateTime datetime = new MutableDateTime(date);
-        try {
-            TimeZone zone = getClientTimeZone();
-            if (zone != null) {
-                datetime.setZone(DateTimeZone.forTimeZone(zone));
-            }
+            MutableDateTime datetime = new MutableDateTime(date);
+            try {
+                TimeZone zone = getClientTimeZone();
+                if (zone != null) {
+                    datetime.setZone(DateTimeZone.forTimeZone(zone));
+                }
 
-            if (hours != null) {
-                datetime.set(DateTimeFieldType.hourOfDay(), hours % 24);
-                datetime.setMinuteOfHour(minutes != null ? minutes : 0);
-            }
+                if (hours != null) {
+                    datetime.set(DateTimeFieldType.hourOfDay(), hours % 24);
+                    datetime.setMinuteOfHour(minutes != null ? minutes : 0);
+                }
 
-            // the date will be in the server's timezone
-            setDate(datetime.toDate());
-            //setModelObject(datetime.toDate());
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            error(e.getMessage());
-            invalid();
-        }
-    }
+                // the date will be in the server's timezone
+                setDate(datetime.toDate());
+                //setModelObject(datetime.toDate());
+            } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+                error(e.getMessage());
+                invalid();
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     @Override
     protected boolean use12HourFormat() {
Index: frontend/test/src/test/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProviderTest.java
===================================================================
--- frontend/test/src/test/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProviderTest.java	(revision 23081)
+++ frontend/test/src/test/java/org/hippoecm/frontend/model/PropertyValueProviderTest.java	(revision )
@@ -68,4 +68,25 @@
         pvm = provider.iterator(0, 1).next();
         assertEquals(null, pvm.getObject());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testAddNewAddsNoDefaultPropertyForDateField() throws RepositoryException {
+        Node testNode = this.root.addNode("datetest","frontendtest:model");
+        JcrPropertyModel propertyModel = new JcrPropertyModel(testNode.getPath() + "/frontendtest:date");
+        IFieldDescriptor field = new JavaFieldDescriptor("frontendtest:date", new JavaTypeDescriptor("date",
+                "Date", null));
+        PropertyValueProvider provider = new PropertyValueProvider(field, field.getTypeDescriptor(), propertyModel
+                .getItemModel());
+        provider.addNew();
+
+        assertFalse("No date property expected, but a date property was found.",session.itemExists(testNode.getPath() + "/frontendtest:date"));
+        assertEquals(1, provider.size());
+        JcrPropertyValueModel pvm = provider.iterator(0, 1).next();
+        assertEquals(null, pvm.getObject());
+
+        provider.detach();
+        assertEquals(1, provider.size());
+        pvm = provider.iterator(0, 1).next();
+        assertEquals(null, pvm.getObject());
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file