diff --git a/check_docs.py b/check_docs.py
index ef650f6f..330f6007 100755
--- a/check_docs.py
+++ b/check_docs.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 import os.path
 import re
 import sys
+import mmap
+from datetime import *
 
 file_names = dict()
 file_names["text_objects"]    = "src/text_object.h"
@@ -244,4 +246,13 @@ file.seek(0)
 file.writelines(lines)
 file.close()
 
+# lastly, update the date in docs.xml
+file = open(file_names["docs"], 'r+')
+map = mmap.mmap(file.fileno(), os.path.getsize(file_names["docs"]))
+d = map.find("<date>")
+d += 6 # skip over first date stuff
+map[d:d+10] = datetime.now().strftime("%F")
+map.close()
+file.close()
+
 print "done."
diff --git a/doc/docs.xml b/doc/docs.xml
index ff978dd8..706341e5 100644
--- a/doc/docs.xml
+++ b/doc/docs.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 			<firstname>Brenden</firstname>
 			<surname>Matthews</surname>
 		</author>
-		<date>2009-07-09</date>
+		<date>2009-07-20</date>
 	</refentryinfo>
 	<refmeta>
 		<refentrytitle>conky</refentrytitle>