diff --git a/freemarker-core/src/main/java/freemarker/template/Version.java b/freemarker-core/src/main/java/freemarker/template/Version.java
index d66c969..ac25be1 100644
--- a/freemarker-core/src/main/java/freemarker/template/Version.java
+++ b/freemarker-core/src/main/java/freemarker/template/Version.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
     private final String originalStringValue;
     
     private final Boolean gaeCompliant;
+    private final Date buildDate;
     
     private final int intValue;
     private volatile String calculatedStringValue;  // not final because it's calculated on demand
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@
         intValue = calculateIntValue();
         
         this.gaeCompliant = gaeCompliant;
+        this.buildDate = buildDate;
         
     }
 
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@
         
         this.extraInfo = null;
         this.gaeCompliant = null;
+        this.buildDate = null;
         originalStringValue = null;
     }
     
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@
         this.micro = micro;
         this.extraInfo = extraInfo;
         this.gaeCompliant = gaeCompatible;
+        this.buildDate = buildDate;
         intValue = calculateIntValue();
         originalStringValue = null;
     }
@@ -225,11 +229,11 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * @deprecated will be removed. Always returns <code>null</code>. 
+     * @deprecated do not used anymore
      * @return The build date if known, or {@code null}.
      */
     public Date getBuildDate() {
-        return null;
+        return buildDate;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -247,6 +251,7 @@
             if (hashCode == 0) {
                 final int prime = 31;
                 int result = 1;
+                result = prime * result + (buildDate == null ? 0 : buildDate.hashCode());
                 result = prime * result + (extraInfo == null ? 0 : extraInfo.hashCode());
                 result = prime * result + (gaeCompliant == null ? 0 : gaeCompliant.hashCode());
                 result = prime * result + intValue;
@@ -269,6 +274,12 @@
         
         if (other.hashCode() != hashCode()) return false;
         
+        if (buildDate == null) {
+            if (other.buildDate != null) return false;
+        } else if (!buildDate.equals(other.buildDate)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        
         if (extraInfo == null) {
             if (other.extraInfo != null) return false;
         } else if (!extraInfo.equals(other.extraInfo)) {
diff --git a/freemarker-core/src/test/java/freemarker/template/VersionTest.java b/freemarker-core/src/test/java/freemarker/template/VersionTest.java
index 55b965a..917b96e 100644
--- a/freemarker-core/src/test/java/freemarker/template/VersionTest.java
+++ b/freemarker-core/src/test/java/freemarker/template/VersionTest.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
         assertEquals("1.2.3-beta8", v.toString());
         assertEquals("beta8", v.getExtraInfo());
         assertTrue(v.isGAECompliant().booleanValue());
-        assertNull(v.getBuildDate());
+        assertEquals(new Date(5000), v.getBuildDate());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
         assertEquals("2.3.24-rc01-incubating", v.toString());
         assertEquals("rc01-incubating", v.getExtraInfo());
         assertFalse(v.isGAECompliant().booleanValue());
-        assertNull(v.getBuildDate());
+        assertEquals(new Date(5000), v.getBuildDate());
     }
     
     @Test
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
         assertEquals(30, v.getMicro());
         assertNull(v.getExtraInfo());
         assertTrue(v.isGAECompliant().booleanValue());
-        assertNull(v.getBuildDate());
+        assertEquals(new Date(5000), v.getBuildDate());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@
         assertTrue(v1.hashCode() != v2.hashCode());
         
         v2 = new Version(1, 2, 3, "beta2", null, new Date(5000));
-        assertTrue(v1.equals(v2));
-        assertTrue(v1.hashCode() == v2.hashCode());
+        assertTrue(!v1.equals(v2));
+        assertTrue(v1.hashCode() != v2.hashCode());
         
         v2 = new Version("1.2.9-beta2");
         assertTrue(!v1.equals(v2));