diff --git a/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py b/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
index 389d97fe..af29c4b5 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class PixivExtractor(Extractor):
             del work["meta_pages"]
             work["num"] = ""
             work["tags"] = [tag["name"] for tag in work["tags"]]
-            work["date"] = text.parse_datetime(work["create_date"][:-3] + "00")
+            work["date"] = text.parse_datetime(work["create_date"])
             work.update(metadata)
 
             yield Message.Directory, work
diff --git a/gallery_dl/text.py b/gallery_dl/text.py
index 0f431fd7..a21306d0 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/text.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/text.py
@@ -226,12 +226,15 @@ def parse_timestamp(ts, default=None):
 def parse_datetime(date_string, format="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z"):
     """Create a datetime object by parsing 'date_string'"""
     try:
+        if format.endswith("%z") and date_string[-3] == ":":
+            # workaround for Python < 3.7: +00:00 -> +0000
+            date_string = date_string[:-3] + date_string[-2:]
         d = datetime.datetime.strptime(date_string, format)
         o = d.utcoffset()
         if o is not None:
             d = d.replace(tzinfo=None) - o  # convert to naive UTC
         return d
-    except TypeError:
+    except (TypeError, IndexError, KeyError):
         return None
     except (ValueError, OverflowError):
         return date_string
diff --git a/test/test_text.py b/test/test_text.py
index b0b077e2..f33642be 100644
--- a/test/test_text.py
+++ b/test/test_text.py
@@ -353,9 +353,14 @@ class TestText(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_parse_datetime(self, f=text.parse_datetime):
         null = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(0)
 
-        self.assertEqual(f("1970-01-01T00:00:00+0000"), null)
-        self.assertEqual(f("1970.01.01", "%Y.%m.%d")  , null)
+        self.assertEqual(f("1970-01-01T00:00:00+00:00"), null)
+        self.assertEqual(f("1970-01-01T00:00:00+0000") , null)
+        self.assertEqual(f("1970.01.01", "%Y.%m.%d")   , null)
 
+        self.assertEqual(
+            f("2019-05-07T21:25:02+09:00"),
+            datetime.datetime(2019, 5, 7, 12, 25, 2),
+        )
         self.assertEqual(
             f("2019-05-07T21:25:02+0900"),
             datetime.datetime(2019, 5, 7, 12, 25, 2),