diff --git a/jrnl/Journal.py b/jrnl/Journal.py
index 7560b962..ee374228 100644
--- a/jrnl/Journal.py
+++ b/jrnl/Journal.py
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ class Journal(object):
         If strict is True, all tags must be present in an entry. If false, the
         entry is kept if any tag is present."""
         self.search_tags = set([tag.lower() for tag in tags])
-        end_date = time.parse(end_date, inclusive=True)
-        start_date = time.parse(start_date)
+        end_date = time.parse(end_date, inclusive=True, default_hour=self.config['default_hour'], default_minute=self.config['default_minute'], dayfirst=self.config['day_first'])
+        start_date = time.parse(start_date, default_hour=self.config['default_hour'], default_minute=self.config['default_minute'], dayfirst=self.config['day_first'])
 
         # If strict mode is on, all tags have to be present in entry
         tagged = self.search_tags.issubset if strict else self.search_tags.intersection
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class Journal(object):
         if not date:
             colon_pos = first_line.find(": ")
             if colon_pos > 0:
-                date = time.parse(raw[:colon_pos], default_hour=self.config['default_hour'], default_minute=self.config['default_minute'])
+                date = time.parse(raw[:colon_pos], default_hour=self.config['default_hour'], default_minute=self.config['default_minute'], dayfirst=self.config['day_first'])
                 if date:  # Parsed successfully, strip that from the raw text
                     starred = raw[:colon_pos].strip().endswith("*")
                     raw = raw[colon_pos + 1:].strip()
diff --git a/jrnl/time.py b/jrnl/time.py
index 531293de..ab44dca8 100644
--- a/jrnl/time.py
+++ b/jrnl/time.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ consts.DOWParseStyle = -1  # "Monday" will be either today or the last Monday
 CALENDAR = pdt.Calendar(consts)
 
 
-def parse(date_str, inclusive=False, default_hour=None, default_minute=None):
+def parse(date_str, inclusive=False, default_hour=None, default_minute=None, dayfirst=False):
     """Parses a string containing a fuzzy date and returns a datetime.datetime object"""
     if not date_str:
         return None
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def parse(date_str, inclusive=False, default_hour=None, default_minute=None):
     year_present = False
     while not date:
         try:
-            date = dateparse(date_str, default=default_date)
+            date = dateparse(date_str, default=default_date, dayfirst=dayfirst)
             if date.year == FAKE_YEAR:
                 date = datetime(datetime.now().year, date.timetuple()[1:6])
             else: