diff --git a/include/datetime.php b/include/datetime.php
index a056eaa60..3033b88af 100644
--- a/include/datetime.php
+++ b/include/datetime.php
@@ -84,12 +84,47 @@ function datetime_convert($from = 'UTC', $to = 'UTC', $s = 'now', $fmt = "Y-m-d
 function dob($dob) {
 	list($year,$month,$day) = sscanf($dob,'%4d-%2d-%2d');
 	$y = datetime_convert('UTC',date_default_timezone_get(),'now','Y');
-	$o = datesel('',1920,$y,true,$year,$month,$day);
+	$f = get_config('system','birthday_input_format');
+	if(! $f)
+		$f = 'ymd';
+	$o = datesel($f,'',1920,$y,true,$year,$month,$day);
+	return $o;
+}
+
+
+function datesel_format($f) {
+
+	$o = '';
+
+	if(strlen($f)) {
+		for($x = 0; $x < strlen($f); $x ++) {
+			switch($f[$x]) {
+				case 'y':
+					if(strlen($o))
+						$o .= '-';
+					$o .= t('year');					
+					break;
+				case 'm':
+					if(strlen($o))
+						$o .= '-';
+					$o .= t('month');					
+					break;
+				case 'd':
+					if(strlen($o))
+						$o .= '-';
+					$o .= t('day');
+					break;
+				default:
+					break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	return $o;
 }
 
 
 // returns a date selector.
+// $f           = format string, e.g. 'ymd' or 'mdy'
 // $pre         = prefix (if needed) for HTML name and class fields
 // $ymin        = first year shown in selector dropdown
 // $ymax        = last year shown in selector dropdown
@@ -99,40 +134,52 @@ function dob($dob) {
 // $d           = already selected day
 
 if(! function_exists('datesel')) {
-function datesel($pre,$ymin,$ymax,$allow_blank,$y,$m,$d) {
+function datesel($f,$pre,$ymin,$ymax,$allow_blank,$y,$m,$d) {
 
 	$o = '';
-	$o .= "<select name=\"{$pre}year\" class=\"{$pre}year\" size=\"1\">";
-	if($allow_blank) {
-		$sel = (($y == '0000') ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
-		$o .= "<option value=\"0000\" $sel ></option>";
-	}
 
-	if($ymax > $ymin) {
-		for($x = $ymax; $x >= $ymin; $x --) {
-			$sel = (($x == $y) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
-			$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$x</option>";
-		}
-	}
-	else {
-		for($x = $ymax; $x <= $ymin; $x ++) {
-			$sel = (($x == $y) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
-			$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$x</option>";
-		}
-	}
+	if(strlen($f)) {
+		for($z = 0; $z < strlen($f); $z ++) {
+			if($f[$z] === 'y') {
+
+				$o .= "<select name=\"{$pre}year\" class=\"{$pre}year\" size=\"1\">";
+				if($allow_blank) {
+					$sel = (($y == '0000') ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
+					$o .= "<option value=\"0000\" $sel ></option>";
+				}
+
+				if($ymax > $ymin) {
+					for($x = $ymax; $x >= $ymin; $x --) {
+						$sel = (($x == $y) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
+						$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$x</option>";
+					}
+				}
+				else {
+					for($x = $ymax; $x <= $ymin; $x ++) {
+						$sel = (($x == $y) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
+						$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$x</option>";
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			elseif($f[$z] == 'm') {
   
-	$o .= "</select> <select name=\"{$pre}month\" class=\"{$pre}month\" size=\"1\">";
-	for($x = (($allow_blank) ? 0 : 1); $x <= 12; $x ++) {
-		$sel = (($x == $m) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
-		$y = (($x) ? $x : '');
-		$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$y</option>";
-	}
+				$o .= "</select> <select name=\"{$pre}month\" class=\"{$pre}month\" size=\"1\">";
+				for($x = (($allow_blank) ? 0 : 1); $x <= 12; $x ++) {
+					$sel = (($x == $m) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
+					$y = (($x) ? $x : '');
+					$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$y</option>";
+				}
+			}
+			elseif($f[$z] == 'd') {
 
-	$o .= "</select> <select name=\"{$pre}day\" class=\"{$pre}day\" size=\"1\">";
-	for($x = (($allow_blank) ? 0 : 1); $x <= 31; $x ++) {
-		$sel = (($x == $d) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
-		$y = (($x) ? $x : '');
-		$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$y</option>";
+				$o .= "</select> <select name=\"{$pre}day\" class=\"{$pre}day\" size=\"1\">";
+				for($x = (($allow_blank) ? 0 : 1); $x <= 31; $x ++) {
+					$sel = (($x == $d) ? " selected=\"selected\" " : "");
+					$y = (($x) ? $x : '');
+					$o .= "<option value=\"$x\" $sel>$y</option>";
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	$o .= "</select>";
diff --git a/mod/events.php b/mod/events.php
index b0b54601f..27ca69830 100644
--- a/mod/events.php
+++ b/mod/events.php
@@ -297,6 +297,12 @@ function events_content(&$a) {
 		$fhour = ((x($orig_event)) ? datetime_convert('UTC', $tz, $fdt, 'H') : 0);
 		$fminute = ((x($orig_event)) ? datetime_convert('UTC', $tz, $fdt, 'i') : 0);
 
+		$f = get_config('system','event_input_format');
+		if(! $f)
+			$f = 'ymd';
+
+		$dateformat = datesel_format($f);
+		$timeformat = t('hour:minute');
 
 		require_once('include/acl_selectors.php');
 
@@ -306,14 +312,14 @@ function events_content(&$a) {
 			'$cid' => $cid,
 			'$uri' => $uri,
 			'$e_text' => t('Event details'),
-			'$e_desc' => t('Format is year-month-day hour:minute. Starting date and Description are required.'),
+			'$e_desc' => sprintf( t('Format is %s %s. Starting date and Description are required.'),$dateformat,$timeformat),
 			'$s_text' => t('Event Starts:') . ' <span class="required">*</span> ',
-			'$s_dsel' => datesel('start',$syear+5,$syear,false,$syear,$smonth,$sday),
+			'$s_dsel' => datesel($f,'start',$syear+5,$syear,false,$syear,$smonth,$sday),
 			'$s_tsel' => timesel('start',$shour,$sminute),
 			'$n_text' => t('Finish date/time is not known or not relevant'),
 			'$n_checked' => $n_checked,
 			'$f_text' => t('Event Finishes:'),
-			'$f_dsel' => datesel('finish',$fyear+5,$fyear,false,$fyear,$fmonth,$fday),
+			'$f_dsel' => datesel($f,'finish',$fyear+5,$fyear,false,$fyear,$fmonth,$fday),
 			'$f_tsel' => timesel('finish',$fhour,$fminute),
 			'$a_text' => t('Adjust for viewer timezone'),
 			'$a_checked' => $a_checked,
diff --git a/mod/profiles.php b/mod/profiles.php
index 160ca13bc..64fab797f 100644
--- a/mod/profiles.php
+++ b/mod/profiles.php
@@ -361,6 +361,9 @@ function profiles_content(&$a) {
 		$a->page['htmlhead'] .= replace_macros($tpl, array('$baseurl' => $a->get_baseurl()));
 		$a->page['htmlhead'] .= "<script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"include/country.js\" ></script>";
 
+		$f = get_config('system','birthday_input_format');
+		if(! $f)
+			$f = 'ymd';
 
 		$is_default = (($r[0]['is-default']) ? 1 : 0);
 		$tpl = get_markup_template("profile_edit.tpl");
@@ -375,7 +378,7 @@ function profiles_content(&$a) {
 			'$lbl_fullname' => t('Your Full Name:'),
 			'$lbl_title' => t('Title/Description:'),
 			'$lbl_gender' => t('Your Gender:'),
-			'$lbl_bd' => t("Birthday \x28y/m/d\x29:"),
+			'$lbl_bd' => sprintf( t("Birthday \x28%s\x29:"),datesel_format($f)),
 			'$lbl_address' => t('Street Address:'),
 			'$lbl_city' => t('Locality/City:'),
 			'$lbl_zip' => t('Postal/Zip Code:'),