diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Date.js b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Date.js
index 5dba9da4b6..937b12d108 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Date.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Date.js
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@
 OpenLayers.Date = {
 
     /** 
-     * APIProperty: regex
+     * APIProperty: dateRegEx
      * The regex to be used for validating dates. You can provide your own
-     * regex for instance for adding support for years before BC.
+     * regex for instance for adding support for years before BC. Default
+     * value is: /^(?:(\d{4})(?:-(\d{2})(?:-(\d{2}))?)?)?(?:(?:T(\d{1,2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?)(Z|(?:[+-]\d{1,2}(?::(\d{2}))?)))|Z)?$/
      */
-    regex: /^(?:(\d{4})(?:-(\d{2})(?:-(\d{2}))?)?)?(?:(?:T(\d{1,2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?)(Z|(?:[+-]\d{1,2}(?::(\d{2}))?)))|Z)?$/,
+    dateRegEx: /^(?:(\d{4})(?:-(\d{2})(?:-(\d{2}))?)?)?(?:(?:T(\d{1,2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?)(Z|(?:[+-]\d{1,2}(?::(\d{2}))?)))|Z)?$/,
 
     /**
      * APIMethod: toISOString
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ OpenLayers.Date = {
      */
     parse: function(str) {
         var date;
-        var match = str.match(this.regex);
+        var match = str.match(this.dateRegEx);
         if (match && (match[1] || match[7])) { // must have at least year or time
             var year = parseInt(match[1], 10) || 0;
             var month = (parseInt(match[2], 10) - 1) || 0;
diff --git a/tests/BaseTypes/Date.html b/tests/BaseTypes/Date.html
index 387fcf60f7..e54fb31bc3 100644
--- a/tests/BaseTypes/Date.html
+++ b/tests/BaseTypes/Date.html
@@ -177,11 +177,11 @@
 
     function test_regex(t) {
         t.plan(1);
-        var regex = OpenLayers.Date.regex;
-        OpenLayers.Date.regex = /^(?:(-?\d{4})(?:-(\d{2})(?:-(\d{2}))?)?)?(?:(?:T(\d{1,2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?)(Z|(?:[+-]\d{1,2}(?::(\d{2}))?)))|Z)?$/;
+        var regex = OpenLayers.Date.dateRegEx;
+        OpenLayers.Date.dateRegEx = /^(?:(-?\d{4})(?:-(\d{2})(?:-(\d{2}))?)?)?(?:(?:T(\d{1,2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?)(Z|(?:[+-]\d{1,2}(?::(\d{2}))?)))|Z)?$/;
         var date = OpenLayers.Date.parse("-0501-03-01T00:00:00.000Z");
         t.ok(!isNaN(date.getTime()), "date with negative year is parsed when providing alternative regex");
-        OpenLayers.Date.regex = regex;
+        OpenLayers.Date.dateRegEx = regex;
     }
 
   </script>