diff --git a/localtests/datetime-1970/create.sql b/localtests/datetime-1970/create.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fcf9ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/localtests/datetime-1970/create.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+drop table if exists gh_ost_test;
+create table gh_ost_test (
+  id int auto_increment,
+  create_time timestamp NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
+  update_time timestamp NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+  counter int(10) unsigned DEFAULT NULL,
+  primary key(id)
+) auto_increment=1;
+
+insert into gh_ost_test values (1, '0000-00-00 00:00:00', now(), 0);
+
+drop event if exists gh_ost_test;
+delimiter ;;
+create event gh_ost_test
+  on schedule every 1 second
+  starts current_timestamp
+  ends current_timestamp + interval 60 second
+  on completion not preserve
+  enable
+  do
+begin
+  update gh_ost_test set counter = counter + 1 where id = 1;
+end ;;
diff --git a/localtests/datetime-1970/extra_args b/localtests/datetime-1970/extra_args
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..453f761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/localtests/datetime-1970/extra_args
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+--alter='add column name varchar(1)'
diff --git a/localtests/datetime-1970/ghost_columns b/localtests/datetime-1970/ghost_columns
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..581038f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/localtests/datetime-1970/ghost_columns
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+id, create_time, update_time, counter
diff --git a/localtests/datetime-1970/orig_columns b/localtests/datetime-1970/orig_columns
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..581038f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/localtests/datetime-1970/orig_columns
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+id, create_time, update_time, counter
diff --git a/localtests/datetime-1970/sql_mode b/localtests/datetime-1970/sql_mode
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/localtests/test.sh b/localtests/test.sh
index 80bacaa..41c9822 100755
--- a/localtests/test.sh
+++ b/localtests/test.sh
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ start_replication() {
 test_single() {
   local test_name
   test_name="$1"
+  original_sql_mode="$(gh-ost-test-mysql-master -e "select @@global.sql_mode" -s -s)"
 
   if [ -f $tests_path/$test_name/ignore_versions ] ; then
     ignore_versions=$(cat $tests_path/$test_name/ignore_versions)
@@ -102,6 +103,12 @@ test_single() {
   echo_dot
   start_replication
   echo_dot
+
+  if [ -f $tests_path/$test_name/sql_mode ] ; then
+    gh-ost-test-mysql-master --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test -e "set @@global.sql_mode='$(cat $tests_path/$test_name/sql_mode)'"
+    gh-ost-test-mysql-replica --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test -e "set @@global.sql_mode='$(cat $tests_path/$test_name/sql_mode)'"
+  fi
+  
   gh-ost-test-mysql-master --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test < $tests_path/$test_name/create.sql
 
   extra_args=""
@@ -154,6 +161,11 @@ test_single() {
 
   execution_result=$?
 
+  if [ -f $tests_path/$test_name/sql_mode ] ; then
+    gh-ost-test-mysql-master --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test -e "set @@global.sql_mode='${original_sql_mode}'"
+    gh-ost-test-mysql-replica --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test -e "set @@global.sql_mode='${original_sql_mode}'"
+  fi
+
   if [ -f $tests_path/$test_name/destroy.sql ] ; then
     gh-ost-test-mysql-master --default-character-set=utf8mb4 test < $tests_path/$test_name/destroy.sql
   fi
diff --git a/vendor/github.com/siddontang/go-mysql/replication/row_event.go b/vendor/github.com/siddontang/go-mysql/replication/row_event.go
index c30d9ae..85a3e43 100644
--- a/vendor/github.com/siddontang/go-mysql/replication/row_event.go
+++ b/vendor/github.com/siddontang/go-mysql/replication/row_event.go
@@ -400,6 +400,10 @@ func (e *RowsEvent) decodeValue(data []byte, tp byte, meta uint16) (v interface{
 	case MYSQL_TYPE_DATETIME:
 		n = 8
 		i64 := binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(data)
+
+		if i64 == 0 { // commented by Shlomi Noach. Yes I know about `git blame`
+			return "0000-00-00 00:00:00", n, nil
+		}
 		d := i64 / 1000000
 		t := i64 % 1000000
 		v = time.Date(int(d/10000),