diff --git a/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb b/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
index 4cbcc3c..ca12c22 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
+++ b/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
@@ -282,8 +282,8 @@ module I18n
             when '%^b' then I18n.t!(:"date.abbr_month_names",               :locale => locale, :format => format)[object.mon].upcase
             when '%B' then I18n.t!(:"date.month_names",                     :locale => locale, :format => format)[object.mon]
             when '%^B' then I18n.t!(:"date.month_names",                    :locale => locale, :format => format)[object.mon].upcase
-            when '%p' then I18n.t!(:"time.#{object.hour < 12 ? :am : :pm}", :locale => locale, :format => format).upcase if object.respond_to? :hour
-            when '%P' then I18n.t!(:"time.#{object.hour < 12 ? :am : :pm}", :locale => locale, :format => format).downcase if object.respond_to? :hour
+            when '%p' then I18n.t!(:"time.#{(object.respond_to?(:hour) ? object.hour : 0) < 12 ? :am : :pm}", :locale => locale, :format => format).upcase
+            when '%P' then I18n.t!(:"time.#{(object.respond_to?(:hour) ? object.hour : 0) < 12 ? :am : :pm}", :locale => locale, :format => format).downcase
             end
           end
         rescue MissingTranslationData => e
diff --git a/lib/i18n/tests/localization/date.rb b/lib/i18n/tests/localization/date.rb
index 2a44371..c06b7ec 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/tests/localization/date.rb
+++ b/lib/i18n/tests/localization/date.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ module I18n
           assert_equal 'Sa', I18n.l(@date, :format => '%a', :locale => :de)
         end
 
+        test "localize Date: given an meridian indicator format it returns the correct meridian indicator" do
+          assert_equal 'AM', I18n.l(@date, :format => '%p', :locale => :de)
+          assert_equal 'am', I18n.l(@date, :format => '%P', :locale => :de)
+        end
+
         test "localize Date: given an abbreviated and uppercased day name format it returns the correct abbreviated day name in upcase" do
           assert_equal 'sa'.upcase, I18n.l(@date, :format => '%^a', :locale => :de)
         end