diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index df2c19e2..8ea48c25 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ import urllib2
 import uuid
 import warnings
 from operator import itemgetter
+try:
+    import dateutil
+except ImportError:
+    dateutil = None
+else:
+    import dateutil.parser
 
 import pymongo
 import gridfs
@@ -371,6 +377,8 @@ class DateTimeField(BaseField):
             return value()
 
         # Attempt to parse a datetime:
+        if dateutil:
+            return dateutil.parser.parse(value)
         # value = smart_str(value)
         # split usecs, because they are not recognized by strptime.
         if '.' in value:
diff --git a/tests/fields/fields.py b/tests/fields/fields.py
index e803af84..6c3f49f7 100644
--- a/tests/fields/fields.py
+++ b/tests/fields/fields.py
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ import datetime
 import unittest
 import uuid
 
+try:
+    import dateutil
+except ImportError:
+    dateutil = None
+
 from decimal import Decimal
 
 from bson import Binary, DBRef, ObjectId
@@ -482,6 +487,65 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         LogEntry.drop_collection()
 
+    def test_datetime_usage(self):
+        """Tests for regular datetime fields"""
+        class LogEntry(Document):
+            date = DateTimeField()
+
+        LogEntry.drop_collection()
+
+        d1 = datetime.datetime(1970, 01, 01, 00, 00, 01)
+        log = LogEntry()
+        log.date = d1
+        log.save()
+
+        for query in (d1, d1.isoformat(' ')):
+            log1 = LogEntry.objects.get(date=query)
+            self.assertEqual(log, log1)
+
+        if dateutil:
+            log1 = LogEntry.objects.get(date=d1.isoformat('T'))
+            self.assertEqual(log, log1)
+
+        LogEntry.drop_collection()
+
+        # create 60 log entries
+        for i in xrange(1950, 2010):
+            d = datetime.datetime(i, 01, 01, 00, 00, 01)
+            LogEntry(date=d).save()
+
+        self.assertEqual(LogEntry.objects.count(), 60)
+
+        # Test ordering
+        logs = LogEntry.objects.order_by("date")
+        count = logs.count()
+        i = 0
+        while i == count - 1:
+            self.assertTrue(logs[i].date <= logs[i + 1].date)
+            i += 1
+
+        logs = LogEntry.objects.order_by("-date")
+        count = logs.count()
+        i = 0
+        while i == count - 1:
+            self.assertTrue(logs[i].date >= logs[i + 1].date)
+            i += 1
+
+        # Test searching
+        logs = LogEntry.objects.filter(date__gte=datetime.datetime(1980, 1, 1))
+        self.assertEqual(logs.count(), 30)
+
+        logs = LogEntry.objects.filter(date__lte=datetime.datetime(1980, 1, 1))
+        self.assertEqual(logs.count(), 30)
+
+        logs = LogEntry.objects.filter(
+            date__lte=datetime.datetime(2011, 1, 1),
+            date__gte=datetime.datetime(2000, 1, 1),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(logs.count(), 10)
+
+        LogEntry.drop_collection()
+
     def test_complexdatetime_storage(self):
         """Tests for complex datetime fields - which can handle microseconds
         without rounding.