diff -r cb99491f484e -r c897b882f49d Lib/test/test_strptime_jy.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_strptime_jy.py	Sat Mar 23 12:45:43 2013 -0700
+++ b/Lib/test/test_strptime_jy.py	Sat Mar 23 18:16:59 2013 -0700
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import unittest
 from datetime import datetime
+from time import strptime
 from test import test_support
 
 
@@ -13,6 +14,14 @@
         # tests bug 1662
         self.assertEqual(now, datetime.strptime(now.isoformat('T') + 'Z', "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"))
 
+    def test_IllegalArgument_to_ValueError(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            d = strptime('', '%e')
+
+    def test_issue1964(self):
+        d = strptime('0', '%f')
+        self.assertEqual(0, d[1])
+
 def test_main():
     test_support.run_unittest(
         ParsingTests
diff -r cb99491f484e -r c897b882f49d src/org/python/modules/time/Time.java
--- a/src/org/python/modules/time/Time.java	Sat Mar 23 12:45:43 2013 -0700
+++ b/src/org/python/modules/time/Time.java	Sat Mar 23 18:16:59 2013 -0700
@@ -704,7 +704,12 @@
             // Format not translatable to java, fallback to _strptime
             return pystrptime(data_string, format);
         }
-        SimpleDateFormat d = new SimpleDateFormat(jformat);
+        SimpleDateFormat d = null;
+        try {
+            d = new SimpleDateFormat(jformat);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throwValueError(e.getLocalizedMessage());
+        }
         Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
         try {
             cal.setTime(d.parse(data_string));
@@ -746,6 +751,7 @@
     // strptime formats not supported by SimpleDateFormat:
     private static final List<Character> notSupported = new ArrayList<Character>() {{
         add('w');
+        add('f');
     }};