diff --git a/lib/gh/normalizer.rb b/lib/gh/normalizer.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/gh/normalizer.rb
+++ b/lib/gh/normalizer.rb
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ module GH
     def modify_time(hash, key, value)
       return unless TIME_KEYS.include? key or TIME_PATTERN === value
       should_be = key == 'timestamp' ? 'date' : key
+      raise ArgumentError if RUBY_VERSION < 1.9 and value == "" # TODO: remove this line. duh.
       time = Time.at(value) rescue Time.parse(value.to_s)
       hash[should_be] = time.utc.xmlschema if time
-    rescue ArgumentError
+    rescue ArgumentError, TypeError
       hash[should_be] = value
     end
make adjustments for stupid ruby <I>