diff --git a/offlineimap/folder/Base.py b/offlineimap/folder/Base.py
index 81174cd..0d37c2f 100644
--- a/offlineimap/folder/Base.py
+++ b/offlineimap/folder/Base.py
@@ -343,6 +343,10 @@ class BaseFolder(object):
                 raise OfflineImapError("maxage led to year %d. "
                     "Abort syncing."% date[0],
                     OfflineImapError.ERROR.MESSAGE)
+            if (time.mktime(date) - time.mktime(time.localtime())) > 0:
+                raise OfflineImapError("maxage led to future date %s. "
+                    "Abort syncing."% maxagestr,
+                    OfflineImapError.ERROR.MESSAGE)
             return date
         except ValueError:
             raise OfflineImapError("invalid maxage value %s"% maxagestr,
@@ -364,6 +368,10 @@ class BaseFolder(object):
                 raise OfflineImapError("startdate led to year %d. "
                     "Abort syncing."% date[0],
                     OfflineImapError.ERROR.MESSAGE)
+            if (time.mktime(date) - time.mktime(time.localtime())) > 0:
+                raise OfflineImapError("startdate led to future date %s. "
+                    "Abort syncing."% datestr,
+                    OfflineImapError.ERROR.MESSAGE)
             return date
         except ValueError:
             raise OfflineImapError("invalid startdate value %s",