diff --git a/docs/050-build.md b/docs/050-build.md
index ac82aec90..d389a1ea0 100644
--- a/docs/050-build.md
+++ b/docs/050-build.md
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ builds:
     # - Commit
     # - Tag
     # - Version (Git tag without `v` prefix)
-    # Date format is `2006-01-02_15:04:05`.
+    # Date format is `2006-01-02_15:04:05`. You can use `time "2006-01-02"` to
+    # if you need custom formats.
+    #
     # Default is `-s -w -X main.version={{.Version}} -X main.commit={{.Commit}} -X main.date={{.Date}}`.
     ldflags: -s -w -X main.build={{.Version}}
 
diff --git a/internal/builders/golang/build.go b/internal/builders/golang/build.go
index cdf569546..2e371d621 100644
--- a/internal/builders/golang/build.go
+++ b/internal/builders/golang/build.go
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ func ldflags(ctx *context.Context, build config.Build) (string, error) {
 	}
 	var out bytes.Buffer
 	t, err := template.New("ldflags").
+		Funcs(template.FuncMap{
+			"time": func(s string) string {
+				return time.Now().UTC().Format(s)
+			},
+		}).
 		Option("missingkey=error").
 		Parse(build.Ldflags)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/builders/golang/build_test.go b/internal/builders/golang/build_test.go
index 1d94a2e74..c9b216989 100644
--- a/internal/builders/golang/build_test.go
+++ b/internal/builders/golang/build_test.go
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ func TestLdFlagsFullTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	var config = config.Project{
 		Builds: []config.Build{
 			{
-				Ldflags: `-s -w -X main.version={{.Version}} -X main.tag={{.Tag}} -X main.date={{.Date}} -X main.commit={{.Commit}} -X "main.foo={{.Env.FOO}}"`,
+				Ldflags: `-s -w -X main.version={{.Version}} -X main.tag={{.Tag}} -X main.date={{.Date}} -X main.commit={{.Commit}} -X "main.foo={{.Env.FOO}}" -X main.time={{ time "20060102" }}`,
 			},
 		},
 	}
@@ -325,7 +325,9 @@ func TestLdFlagsFullTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.version=1.2.3")
 	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.tag=v1.2.3")
 	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.commit=123")
-	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.date=")
+	// TODO: this will break in 2019
+	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.date=2018")
+	assert.Contains(t, flags, "-X main.time=2018")
 	assert.Contains(t, flags, `-X "main.foo=123"`)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/client/name.go b/internal/client/name.go
index ee65b0c91..236f307bf 100644
--- a/internal/client/name.go
+++ b/internal/client/name.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func releaseTitle(ctx *context.Context) (string, error) {
 func mkFuncMap() template.FuncMap {
 	return template.FuncMap{
 		"time": func(s string) string {
-			return time.Now().Format(s)
+			return time.Now().UTC().Format(s)
 		},
 	}
 }