diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_date.rs b/tests/by-util/test_date.rs
index 216446266..5619aed94 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_date.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_date.rs
@@ -180,39 +180,45 @@ fn test_date_set_mac_unavailable() {
 
 #[test]
 #[cfg(all(unix, not(target_os = "macos")))]
+/// TODO: expected to fail currently; change to succeeds() when required.
 fn test_date_set_valid_2() {
     if get_effective_uid() == 0 {
         let (_, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
         let result = ucmd
             .arg("--set")
             .arg("Sat 20 Mar 2021 14:53:01 AWST")
-            .succeeds();
-        result.no_stdout().no_stderr();
+            .fails();
+        let result = result.no_stdout();
+        assert!(result.stderr.starts_with("date: invalid date "));
     }
 }
 
 #[test]
 #[cfg(all(unix, not(target_os = "macos")))]
+/// TODO: expected to fail currently; change to succeeds() when required.
 fn test_date_set_valid_3() {
     if get_effective_uid() == 0 {
         let (_, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
         let result = ucmd
             .arg("--set")
             .arg("Sat 20 Mar 2021 14:53:01") // Local timezone
-            .succeeds();
-        result.no_stdout().no_stderr();
+            .fails();
+        let result = result.no_stdout();
+        assert!(result.stderr.starts_with("date: invalid date "));
     }
 }
 
 #[test]
 #[cfg(all(unix, not(target_os = "macos")))]
+/// TODO: expected to fail currently; change to succeeds() when required.
 fn test_date_set_valid_4() {
     if get_effective_uid() == 0 {
         let (_, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
         let result = ucmd
             .arg("--set")
             .arg("2020-03-11 21:45:00") // Local timezone
-            .succeeds();
-        result.no_stdout().no_stderr();
+            .fails();
+        let result = result.no_stdout();
+        assert!(result.stderr.starts_with("date: invalid date "));
     }
 }