diff --git a/mercurial/util.py b/mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py
+++ b/mercurial/util.py
@@ -2196,7 +2196,8 @@
             else:
                 break
         else:
-            raise error.ParseError(_('invalid date: %r') % date)
+            raise error.ParseError(
+                _('invalid date: %s') % pycompat.bytestr(repr(date)))
     # validate explicit (probably user-specified) date and
     # time zone offset. values must fit in signed 32 bits for
     # current 32-bit linux runtimes. timezones go from UTC-12