diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index e49566744b8ff5a70d95db53e09fddde6fa55aea..44ae9647a6cfe692b53b40459342972a3dbc3596 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ AC_PREFIX_DEFAULT(/usr/local/mailman)
 
 CONFIGURE_OPTS=`echo $@`
 AC_SUBST(CONFIGURE_OPTS)
-BUILD_DATE=`date`
+BUILD_DATE=`LC_ALL=C date --utc --date="@${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH:-$(date +%s)}"`
 AC_SUBST(BUILD_DATE)
 
 # Check for Python!  Better be found on $PATH