diff --git a/builtin/show-branch.c b/builtin/show-branch.c
index 323f85746..d78461389 100644
--- a/builtin/show-branch.c
+++ b/builtin/show-branch.c
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ int cmd_show_branch(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix)
 			else
 				msg++;
 			reflog_msg[i] = xstrfmt("(%s) %s",
-						show_date(timestamp, tz, 1),
+						show_date(timestamp, tz, DATE_RELATIVE),
 						msg);
 			free(logmsg);
 			sprintf(nth_desc, "%s@{%d}", *av, base+i);