diff --git a/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/lib/record/sfDoctrineRecord.class.php b/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/lib/record/sfDoctrineRecord.class.php
index 7418707b0..17ba75d14 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/lib/record/sfDoctrineRecord.class.php
+++ b/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/lib/record/sfDoctrineRecord.class.php
@@ -207,17 +207,23 @@ public function __call($method, $arguments)
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get the Doctrine date value as a PHP DateTime object
+   * Get the Doctrine date value as a PHP DateTime object, null if the value is not set
    *
    * @param string $dateFieldName   The field name to get the DateTime object for
-   * @return DateTime $dateTime     The instance of PHPs DateTime
+   *
+   * @return DateTime|null $dateTime     The instance of PHPs DateTime
+   * @throws sfException if the field is not one of date, datetime, or timestamp types
    */
   public function getDateTimeObject($dateFieldName)
   {
     $type = $this->getTable()->getTypeOf($dateFieldName);
     if ($type == 'date' || $type == 'timestamp' || $type == 'datetime')
     {
-      return new DateTime($this->get($dateFieldName));
+      $datetime = $this->get($dateFieldName);
+      if ($datetime)
+      {
+        return new DateTime($datetime);
+      }
     }
     else
     {
@@ -230,13 +236,19 @@ public function getDateTimeObject($dateFieldName)
    *
    * @param string $dateFieldName       The field name to set the date for
    * @param DateTime $dateTimeObject    The DateTime instance to use to set the value
+   *
    * @return void
+   * @throws sfException if the field is not one of date, datetime, or timestamp types
    */
-  public function setDateTimeObject($dateFieldName, DateTime $dateTimeObject)
+  public function setDateTimeObject($dateFieldName, DateTime $dateTimeObject = null)
   {
     $type = $this->getTable()->getTypeOf($dateFieldName);
     if ($type == 'date' || $type == 'timestamp' || $type == 'datetime')
     {
+      if (null === $dateTimeObject)
+      {
+        return $this->set($dateFieldName, null);
+      }
       return $this->set($dateFieldName, $dateTimeObject->format('Y-m-d H:i:s'));
     }
     else
@@ -244,4 +256,4 @@ public function setDateTimeObject($dateFieldName, DateTime $dateTimeObject)
       throw new sfException('Cannot call setDateTimeObject() on a field that is not of type date or timestamp.');
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/test/functional/sfDoctrineRecordTest.php b/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/test/functional/sfDoctrineRecordTest.php
index 68ec06b6e..95273cd39 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/test/functional/sfDoctrineRecordTest.php
+++ b/lib/plugins/sfDoctrinePlugin/test/functional/sfDoctrineRecordTest.php
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 /*
  * This file is part of the symfony package.
  * (c) 2004-2006 Fabien Potencier <fabien.potencier@symfony-project.com>
- * 
+ *
  * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
  * file that was distributed with this source code.
  */
@@ -68,15 +68,18 @@
 
 // Test getDateTimeObject()
 $dateTime = $article->getDateTimeObject('created_at');
-$t->is($dateTime instanceof DateTime, true);
-$t->is($dateTime->format('m/d/Y'), date('m/d/Y'));
+$t->is($dateTime, null);
 
 try {
   $article->getDateTimeObject('author_id');
   $t->fail();
-} catch (Exception $e) {
+} catch (sfException $e) {
   $t->pass();
 }
 
 $article->setDateTimeObject('created_at', new DateTime('1985-09-01'));
-$t->is($article->getDateTimeObject('created_at')->format('m/d/Y'), '09/01/1985');
\ No newline at end of file
+$t->is($article->getDateTimeObject('created_at')->format('m/d/Y'), '09/01/1985');
+
+$article->setDateTimeObject('created_at', null);
+$dateTime = $article->getDateTimeObject('created_at');
+$t->is($dateTime, null);