diff --git a/gallery_dl/text.py b/gallery_dl/text.py
index 2487210c..bccdbf0e 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/text.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/text.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import re
 import html
 import os.path
+import datetime
 import urllib.parse
 
 
@@ -214,6 +215,14 @@ def parse_query(qs):
     return result
 
 
+def parse_timestamp(ts, default=None):
+    """Create a datetime object from a unix timestamp"""
+    try:
+        return datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(int(ts))
+    except (TypeError, ValueError, OverflowError):
+        return default
+
+
 if os.name == "nt":
     clean_path = clean_path_windows
 else:
diff --git a/test/test_text.py b/test/test_text.py
index ec35c4d2..1ff890e1 100644
--- a/test/test_text.py
+++ b/test/test_text.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
 
 import unittest
+import datetime
 
 from gallery_dl import text
 
@@ -336,6 +337,19 @@ class TestText(unittest.TestCase):
         for value in INVALID:
             self.assertEqual(f(value), {})
 
+    def test_parse_timestamp(self, f=text.parse_timestamp):
+        null = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(0)
+        value = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(1555816235)
+
+        self.assertEqual(f(0)           , null)
+        self.assertEqual(f("0")         , null)
+        self.assertEqual(f(1555816235)  , value)
+        self.assertEqual(f("1555816235"), value)
+
+        for value in INVALID_ALT:
+            self.assertEqual(f(value), None)
+            self.assertEqual(f(value, "foo"), "foo")
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()