diff --git a/mercurial/utils/dateutil.py b/mercurial/utils/dateutil.py
--- a/mercurial/utils/dateutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/utils/dateutil.py
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@
         timestamp = time.time()
     if timestamp < 0:
         hint = _(b"check your clock")
-        raise error.Abort(_(b"negative timestamp: %d") % timestamp, hint=hint)
+        raise error.InputError(
+            _(b"negative timestamp: %d") % timestamp, hint=hint
+        )
     delta = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(
         timestamp
     ) - datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp)
@@ -328,24 +330,26 @@
     date = date.strip()
 
     if not date:
-        raise error.Abort(_(b"dates cannot consist entirely of whitespace"))
+        raise error.InputError(
+            _(b"dates cannot consist entirely of whitespace")
+        )
     elif date[0:1] == b"<":
         if not date[1:]:
-            raise error.Abort(_(b"invalid day spec, use '<DATE'"))
+            raise error.InputError(_(b"invalid day spec, use '<DATE'"))
         when = upper(date[1:])
         return lambda x: x <= when
     elif date[0:1] == b">":
         if not date[1:]:
-            raise error.Abort(_(b"invalid day spec, use '>DATE'"))
+            raise error.InputError(_(b"invalid day spec, use '>DATE'"))
         when = lower(date[1:])
         return lambda x: x >= when
     elif date[0:1] == b"-":
         try:
             days = int(date[1:])
         except ValueError:
-            raise error.Abort(_(b"invalid day spec: %s") % date[1:])
+            raise error.InputError(_(b"invalid day spec: %s") % date[1:])
         if days < 0:
-            raise error.Abort(
+            raise error.InputError(
                 _(b"%s must be nonnegative (see 'hg help dates')") % date[1:]
             )
         when = makedate()[0] - days * 3600 * 24
diff --git a/tests/test-parse-date.t b/tests/test-parse-date.t
--- a/tests/test-parse-date.t
+++ b/tests/test-parse-date.t
@@ -103,43 +103,43 @@
 
   $ hg log -d "--2"
   abort: -2 must be nonnegative (see 'hg help dates')
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
 Whitespace only
 
   $ hg log -d " "
   abort: dates cannot consist entirely of whitespace
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
 Test date formats with '>' or '<' accompanied by space characters
 
   $ hg log -d '>' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '>DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
   $ hg log -d '<' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '<DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
   $ hg log -d ' >' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '>DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
   $ hg log -d ' <' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '<DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
   $ hg log -d '> ' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '>DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
   $ hg log -d '< ' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '<DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
   $ hg log -d ' > ' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '>DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
   $ hg log -d ' < ' --template '{date|date}\n'
   abort: invalid day spec, use '<DATE'
-  [255]
+  [10]
 
   $ hg log -d '>02/01' --template '{date|date}\n'
   $ hg log -d '<02/01' --template '{date|date}\n'