diff --git a/ui-shared.c b/ui-shared.c
index 76aac60..923d102 100644
--- a/ui-shared.c
+++ b/ui-shared.c
@@ -627,6 +627,15 @@ void cgit_print_date(time_t secs, const char *format, int local_time)
 	html_txt(fmt_date(secs, format, local_time));
 }
 
+const struct date_mode *cgit_date_mode(const char *format)
+{
+	static struct date_mode mode;
+	mode.type = DATE_STRFTIME;
+	mode.strftime_fmt = format;
+	mode.local = ctx.cfg.local_time;
+	return &mode;
+}
+
 static void print_rel_date(time_t t, double value,
 	const char *class, const char *suffix)
 {
diff --git a/ui-shared.h b/ui-shared.h
index c9413ed..707cec9 100644
--- a/ui-shared.h
+++ b/ui-shared.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ __attribute__((format (printf,1,2)))
 extern void cgit_print_error(const char *fmt, ...);
 __attribute__((format (printf,1,0)))
 extern void cgit_vprint_error(const char *fmt, va_list ap);
+extern const struct date_mode *cgit_date_mode(const char *format);
 extern void cgit_print_date(time_t secs, const char *format, int local_time);
 extern void cgit_print_age(time_t t, time_t max_relative);
 extern void cgit_print_http_headers(void);