diff --git a/DynareFlex.ll b/DynareFlex.ll
index 35616b1d..9e3a9d55 100644
--- a/DynareFlex.ll
+++ b/DynareFlex.ll
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ string eofbuff;
   return token::INT_NUMBER;
 }
 
-<DYNARE_STATEMENT,DYNARE_BLOCK>([1-2][0-9]{3}[Mm](([1-9])|(1[0-2])))|([1-2][0-9]{3}[Qq][1-4])|([1-2][0-9]{3}[Ww](([1-9]{1})|([1-4][0-9])|([5][0-2]))) {
+<DYNARE_STATEMENT,DYNARE_BLOCK>(-?[1-2][0-9]{3}[Mm](([1-9])|(1[0-2])))|(-?[1-2][0-9]{3}[Qq][1-4])|(-?[1-2][0-9]{3}[Ww](([1-9]{1})|([1-4][0-9])|([5][0-2]))) {
   yylval->string_val = new string(yytext);
   return token::DATE_NUMBER;
 }