diff --git a/booking.regn_node.inc b/booking.regn_node.inc
index c102665..e2a1e94 100644
--- a/booking.regn_node.inc
+++ b/booking.regn_node.inc
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ function booking_update($node) {
 	global $event;
 	$data = array();
 
+	//TODO: make sure these exclusions match with admin selected options (eg passport details)
+
 	//these fields should be stored in the database as Y or N, but come back from the FAPI as 1 or 0
 	$boolean_keys = array('booking_baptised', 'booking_married', 'booking_help_praying', 'booking_help_meditations', 'booking_help_reading', 
 		'booking_help_chairing', 'booking_help_readgroup_lead', 'booking_help_discussgroup_lead', 'booking_lifesaver', 
@@ -411,19 +413,20 @@ function booking_update($node) {
 	foreach ($node as $key => $value) {
 		//check if the key is a field that belongs in the database
 		if ((strpos($key, "booking_") === 0) || $key === "nid") {
-			//do we need to treat this field carefully?
-			if (strpos($key, "booking_dob") === 0) {
+			//what special handling does this field need?
+			//handle dates properly
+			if ((strpos($key, "booking_dob") === 0) || (strpos($key, "booking_passport_issue_date") === 0)) {
 				$data[$key] = _date_to_ts($value);
 			}
+			elseif (in_array($key, $excluded_keys, FALSE)) {
+				//skip these fields from the update of booking_person
+			}				
 			elseif (in_array($key, $boolean_keys, FALSE)) {
 				$data[$key] = $value == 1 ? 'Y' : 'N';
 			} 
 			elseif (in_array($key, $default_zero_keys, FALSE)) {
 				$data[$key] = $value == '' ? 0 : $value;
 			}
-			elseif (in_array($key, $excluded_keys, FALSE)) {
-				//skip these fields from the update of booking_person
-			}			
 			else {
 				$data[$key] = _booking_remove_emoji($value);
 			}