diff --git a/frappe/utils/data.py b/frappe/utils/data.py
index 03214df80e..d6618d3b07 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/data.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/data.py
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ def getdate(string_date=None):
 	"""
 		 Coverts string date (yyyy-mm-dd) to datetime.date object
 	"""
+
 	if not string_date:
 		return get_datetime().date()
-
 	if isinstance(string_date, datetime.datetime):
 		return string_date.date()
 
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ def getdate(string_date=None):
 	# dateutil parser does not agree with dates like 0000-00-00
 	if not string_date or string_date=="0000-00-00":
 		return None
-
 	return parser.parse(string_date).date()
 
 def get_datetime(datetime_str=None):
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ def get_time(time_str):
 def get_datetime_str(datetime_obj):
 	if isinstance(datetime_obj, string_types):
 		datetime_obj = get_datetime(datetime_obj)
-
 	return datetime_obj.strftime(DATETIME_FORMAT)
 
 def get_user_format():
@@ -226,11 +224,11 @@ def formatdate(string_date=None, format_string=None):
 	date = getdate(string_date)
 	if not format_string:
 		format_string = get_user_format().replace("mm", "MM")
-
 	try:
 		formatted_date = babel.dates.format_date(date, format_string, locale=(frappe.local.lang or "").replace("-", "_"))
 	except UnknownLocaleError:
-		formatted_date = date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+		format_string = format_string.replace("MM", "%m").replace("dd", "%d").replace("yyyy", "%Y")
+		formatted_date = date.strftime(format_string)
 	return formatted_date
 
 def format_time(txt):