diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-sh.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-sh.c
index 61caed506c31..8e8c8b8e81ee 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-sh.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-sh.c
@@ -351,8 +351,10 @@ static int sh_rtc_read_time(struct device *dev, struct rtc_time *tm)
 		tm->tm_sec, tm->tm_min, tm->tm_hour,
 		tm->tm_mday, tm->tm_mon + 1, tm->tm_year, tm->tm_wday);
 
-	if (rtc_valid_tm(tm) < 0)
+	if (rtc_valid_tm(tm) < 0) {
 		dev_err(dev, "invalid date\n");
+		rtc_time_to_tm(0, tm);
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }