diff --git a/examples/log.rs b/examples/log.rs
index 76a651e3171..293d358529e 100644
--- a/examples/log.rs
+++ b/examples/log.rs
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ fn run(args: Args) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                         commit_ref.author.actor().write_to(&mut buf)?;
                         buf.into()
                     },
-                    time: commit_ref.author.time()?.format_or_raw(format::DEFAULT),
+                    time: commit_ref.author.time()?.format_or_unix(format::DEFAULT),
                     message: commit_ref.message.to_owned(),
                 })
             }),
diff --git a/gitoxide-core/src/query/engine/command.rs b/gitoxide-core/src/query/engine/command.rs
index ef3e6f85414..05bdc48a024 100644
--- a/gitoxide-core/src/query/engine/command.rs
+++ b/gitoxide-core/src/query/engine/command.rs
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ mod trace_path {
                         out,
                         "{}| {} | {} {} {} ➡ {}",
                         self.diff.unwrap_or_default().format(max_diff_lines),
-                        self.commit_time.format_or_raw(gix::date::time::format::SHORT),
+                        self.commit_time.format_or_unix(gix::date::time::format::SHORT),
                         id.shorten_or_id(),
                         self.mode.as_str(),
                         path_by_id[&source_id],
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ mod trace_path {
                         out,
                         "{}| {} | {} {} {}",
                         self.diff.unwrap_or_default().format(max_diff_lines),
-                        self.commit_time.format_or_raw(gix::date::time::format::SHORT),
+                        self.commit_time.format_or_unix(gix::date::time::format::SHORT),
                         id.shorten_or_id(),
                         self.mode.as_str(),
                         path_by_id[&self.file_id]
diff --git a/gitoxide-core/src/repository/revision/explain.rs b/gitoxide-core/src/repository/revision/explain.rs
index ecc75c47d3f..45e67427b48 100644
--- a/gitoxide-core/src/repository/revision/explain.rs
+++ b/gitoxide-core/src/repository/revision/explain.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ impl delegate::Revision for Explain<'_> {
             ReflogLookup::Date(time) => writeln!(
                 self.out,
                 "Find entry closest to time {} in reflog of '{}' reference",
-                time.format_or_raw(gix::date::time::format::ISO8601),
+                time.format_or_unix(gix::date::time::format::ISO8601),
                 ref_name
             )
             .ok(),
diff --git a/gix-date/src/time/format.rs b/gix-date/src/time/format.rs
index 552c143018f..b318f129366 100644
--- a/gix-date/src/time/format.rs
+++ b/gix-date/src/time/format.rs
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ impl Time {
         self.format_inner(format.into())
     }
 
-    /// Like [`Self::format()`], but on time conversion error, produce the [RAW] format instead to make it
-    /// infallible.
-    pub fn format_or_raw(&self, format: impl Into<Format>) -> String {
-        self.format_inner(format.into()).unwrap_or_else(|_| self.to_string())
+    /// Like [`Self::format()`], but on time conversion error, produce the [UNIX] format instead
+    /// to make it infallible.
+    pub fn format_or_unix(&self, format: impl Into<Format>) -> String {
+        self.format_inner(format.into())
+            .unwrap_or_else(|_| self.seconds.to_string())
     }
 
     fn format_inner(&self, format: Format) -> Result<String, jiff::Error> {
diff --git a/gix-date/tests/time/format.rs b/gix-date/tests/time/format.rs
index d5376aa19ec..2713eb78757 100644
--- a/gix-date/tests/time/format.rs
+++ b/gix-date/tests/time/format.rs
@@ -66,15 +66,21 @@ fn git_rfc2822() -> gix_testtools::Result {
 
 #[test]
 fn default() -> gix_testtools::Result {
+    assert_eq!(time().format(format::GITOXIDE)?, "Fri Nov 30 1973 00:03:09 +0230");
+    assert_eq!(time_dec1().format(format::GITOXIDE)?, "Sat Dec 01 1973 00:03:09 +0230");
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn format_or_unix() {
     assert_eq!(
-        time().format(gix_date::time::format::GITOXIDE)?,
-        "Fri Nov 30 1973 00:03:09 +0230"
-    );
-    assert_eq!(
-        time_dec1().format(gix_date::time::format::GITOXIDE)?,
-        "Sat Dec 01 1973 00:03:09 +0230"
+        Time {
+            seconds: 42,
+            offset: 7200 * 60
+        }
+        .format_or_unix(format::GITOXIDE),
+        "42"
     );
-    Ok(())
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/gix/src/repository/identity.rs b/gix/src/repository/identity.rs
index 212fe78b4b3..ea9f3a506c4 100644
--- a/gix/src/repository/identity.rs
+++ b/gix/src/repository/identity.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ impl Personas {
                         .and_then(|date| gix_date::parse(date, Some(SystemTime::now())).ok())
                 })
                 .or_else(|| Some(gix_date::Time::now_local_or_utc()))
-                .map(|time| time.format_or_raw(gix_date::time::Format::Raw))
+                .map(|time| time.format_or_unix(gix_date::time::Format::Raw))
         };
 
         let fallback = (
diff --git a/gix/src/revision/spec/parse/error.rs b/gix/src/revision/spec/parse/error.rs
index 513b3e886e2..7e043386110 100644
--- a/gix/src/revision/spec/parse/error.rs
+++ b/gix/src/revision/spec/parse/error.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for CandidateInfo {
                     "commit {} {title:?}",
                     gix_date::parse_header(date)
                         .unwrap_or_default()
-                        .format_or_raw(gix_date::time::format::SHORT)
+                        .format_or_unix(gix_date::time::format::SHORT)
                 )
             }
         }