diff --git a/lib/codecs/DateCodec.js b/lib/codecs/DateCodec.js
index d9f1947..6c33d92 100644
--- a/lib/codecs/DateCodec.js
+++ b/lib/codecs/DateCodec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 const type = -1
 
 function encode (dt) {
+  if (dt === null) {
+    return
+  }
+
   var millis = dt * 1
   var seconds = Math.floor(millis / 1000)
   var nanos = (millis - seconds * 1000) * 1e6
diff --git a/test/datenull.js b/test/datenull.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb9bed9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/datenull.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+'use strict'
+var test = require('tape').test
+var msgpack = require('../')
+
+test('encode date is null ', function (t) {
+  var encoder = msgpack({
+    disableTimestampEncoding: true
+  })
+
+  t.equal(encoder.encode(null)[0], 0xc0, 'encode null as null')
+
+  t.end()
+})