diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/itembox.xml b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/itembox.xml
index ee63273f21..4dd094e1bd 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/itembox.xml
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/itembox.xml
@@ -1920,6 +1920,9 @@
 						if (value != '') {
 							switch (fieldName) {
 								case 'accessDate':
+									// Parse 'yesterday'/'today'/'tomorrow'
+									value = Zotero.Date.parseDescriptiveString(value);
+									
 									// Allow "now" to use current time
 									if (value == 'now') {
 										value = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date(), true);
@@ -1964,18 +1967,8 @@
 								default:
 									// TODO: generalize to all date rows/fields
 									if (Zotero.ItemFields.isFieldOfBase(fieldName, 'date')) {
-										// Parse 'yesterday'/'today'/'tomorrow' and convert to dates,
-										// since it doesn't make sense for those to be actual metadata values
-										var lc = value.toLowerCase();
-										if (lc == 'yesterday' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.yesterday')) {
-											value = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date(new Date().getTime() - 86400000)).substr(0, 10);
-										}
-										else if (lc == 'today' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.today')) {
-											value = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date()).substr(0, 10);
-										}
-										else if (lc == 'tomorrow' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.tomorrow')) {
-											value = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date(new Date().getTime() + 86400000)).substr(0, 10);
-										}
+										// Parse 'yesterday'/'today'/'tomorrow'
+										value = Zotero.Date.parseDescriptiveString(value);
 									}
 							}
 						}
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/date.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/date.js
index 91fb8018ba..a609181f2a 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/date.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/date.js
@@ -708,6 +708,29 @@ Zotero.Date = new function(){
 	}
 	
 	
+	/**
+	 * Convert 'yesterday'/'today'/'tomorrow' to SQL date, or else return original string
+	 *
+	 * @param {String} str
+	 * @return {String}
+	 */
+	this.parseDescriptiveString = function (str) {
+		// Parse 'yesterday'/'today'/'tomorrow' and convert to dates,
+		// since it doesn't make sense for those to be actual metadata values
+		var lc = str.toLowerCase().trim();
+		if (lc == 'yesterday' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.yesterday')) {
+			str = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date(new Date().getTime() - 86400000)).substr(0, 10);
+		}
+		else if (lc == 'today' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.today')) {
+			str = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date()).substr(0, 10);
+		}
+		else if (lc == 'tomorrow' || lc == Zotero.getString('date.tomorrow')) {
+			str = Zotero.Date.dateToSQL(new Date(new Date().getTime() + 86400000)).substr(0, 10);
+		}
+		return str;
+	};
+	
+	
 	function isSQLDate(str, allowZeroes) {
 		if (allowZeroes) {
 			return _sqldateWithZeroesRE.test(str);