diff --git a/src/gui/widgets/validatedmaskedentry.py b/src/gui/widgets/validatedmaskedentry.py
index f70c4ab16..b43b7309e 100644
--- a/src/gui/widgets/validatedmaskedentry.py
+++ b/src/gui/widgets/validatedmaskedentry.py
@@ -1689,7 +1689,8 @@ def main(args):
     def on_validate(widget, text):
         myDate = parser.parse(text)
         if not myDate.is_regular():
-            return ValidationError("'%s' is not a valid date value")
+            # used on AgeOnDateGramplet
+            return ValidationError(_("'%s' is not a valid date value"))
         
     win = gtk.Window()
     win.set_title('ValidatableMaskedEntry test window')
diff --git a/src/plugins/gramplet/AgeOnDateGramplet.py b/src/plugins/gramplet/AgeOnDateGramplet.py
index 12185c35c..e0d83fd09 100644
--- a/src/plugins/gramplet/AgeOnDateGramplet.py
+++ b/src/plugins/gramplet/AgeOnDateGramplet.py
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ class AgeOnDateGramplet(Gramplet):
         description.set_wrap_mode(gtk.WRAP_WORD)
         description.set_editable(False)
         buffer = description.get_buffer()
-        buffer.set_text(_("Enter a date in the entry below and click Run."
-                          " This will compute the ages for everyone in your"
-                          " Family Tree on that date. You can then sort by"
-                          " the age column, and double-click the row to view"
-                          " or edit."))
+        buffer.set_text(_("Enter a date (YYYY-MM-DD) in the entry below"
+                          " and click Run. This will compute the ages for"
+                          " everyone in your Family Tree on that date."
+                          " You can then sort by the age column, and"
+                          " double-click the row to view or edit."))
         label = gtk.Label()
         label.set_text(_("Date") + ":")
         self.entry = gtk.Entry()