diff --git a/lib/mixed.js b/lib/mixed.js
index cc6c12327..a92d4ac4d 100644
--- a/lib/mixed.js
+++ b/lib/mixed.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ SchemaType.prototype = {
     if (arguments.length === 0) return this._meta;
 
     var next = this.clone();
-    next._meta = _extends(next._meta || {}, _extends({}, obj));
+    next._meta = _extends(next._meta || {}, obj);
     return next;
   },
   withMutation: function withMutation(fn) {
diff --git a/src/date.js b/src/date.js
index 4dc92d74f..b0bac9872 100644
--- a/src/date.js
+++ b/src/date.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ var MixedSchema = require('./mixed')
   , isoParse = require('./util/isodate')
   , locale = require('./locale.js').date
   , isAbsent = require('./util/isAbsent')
+  , Ref = require('./util/reference')
   , { isDate, inherits } = require('./util/_');
 
 let invalidDate = new Date('')
@@ -32,16 +33,19 @@ inherits(DateSchema, MixedSchema, {
   },
 
   min(min, msg){
-    var limit = this.cast(min);
+    var limit = min;
 
-    if(!this._typeCheck(limit))
-      throw new TypeError('`min` must be a Date or a value that can be `cast()` to a Date')
+    if (!Ref.isRef(limit)) {
+      limit = this.cast(min)
+      if (!this._typeCheck(limit))
+        throw new TypeError('`min` must be a Date or a value that can be `cast()` to a Date')
+    }
 
     return this.test({
       name: 'min',
       exclusive: true,
       message: msg || locale.min,
-      params: { min: min },
+      params: { min },
       test(value) {
         return isAbsent(value) || value >= this.resolve(limit)
       }
@@ -49,16 +53,19 @@ inherits(DateSchema, MixedSchema, {
   },
 
   max(max, msg){
-    var limit = this.cast(max);
+    var limit = max;
 
-    if(!this._typeCheck(limit))
-      throw new TypeError('`max` must be a Date or a value that can be `cast()` to a Date')
+    if (!Ref.isRef(limit)) {
+      limit = this.cast(max)
+      if (!this._typeCheck(limit))
+        throw new TypeError('`max` must be a Date or a value that can be `cast()` to a Date')
+    }
 
     return this.test({
       name: 'max',
       exclusive: true,
       message: msg || locale.max,
-      params: { max: max },
+      params: { max },
       test(value) {
         return isAbsent(value) || value <= this.resolve(limit)
       }
diff --git a/test/date.js b/test/date.js
index c44949881..bcaf22d59 100644
--- a/test/date.js
+++ b/test/date.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 var chai  = require('chai')
   , chaiAsPromised = require('chai-as-promised')
   , Promise = require('promise/src/es6-extensions')
-  , date = require('../src/date');
+  , { ref, date } = require('../src');
 
 chai.use(chaiAsPromised);
 chai.should();
@@ -56,28 +56,48 @@ describe('Date types', function(){
   })
 
   it('should check MIN correctly', function(){
-    var v = date().min(new Date(2014, 3, 15));
+    var min = new Date(2014, 3, 15)
+      , invalid = new Date(2014, 1, 15)
+      , valid = new Date(2014, 5, 15)
 
     ;(function(){ date().max('hello') }).should.throw(TypeError)
+    ;(function(){ date().max(ref('$foo')) }).should.not.throw
 
     return Promise.all([
-      v.isValid(new Date(2014, 5, 15)).should.eventually.equal(true),
-      v.isValid(new Date(2014, 1, 15)).should.eventually.equal(false),
-
-      v.isValid(null).should.eventually.equal(false)
+      date().min(min).isValid(valid).should.eventually.equal(true),
+      date().min(min).isValid(invalid).should.eventually.equal(false),
+      date().min(min).isValid(null).should.eventually.equal(false),
+
+      date().min(ref('$foo'))
+        .isValid(valid, { context: { foo: min }})
+        .should.eventually.equal(true),
+      date().min(ref('$foo'))
+        .isValid(invalid, { context: { foo: min }})
+        .should.eventually.equal(false)
     ])
   })
 
-  it('should check MAX correctly', function(){
-    var v = date().max(new Date(2014, 7, 15));
+  it('should check MAX correctly', function() {
+    var max = new Date(2014, 7, 15)
+      , invalid = new Date(2014, 9, 15)
+      , valid = new Date(2014, 5, 15)
 
     ;(function(){ date().max('hello') }).should.throw(TypeError)
+    ;(function(){ date().max(ref('$foo')) }).should.not.throw
 
     return Promise.all([
-      v.isValid(new Date(2014, 5, 15)).should.eventually.equal(true),
-      v.isValid(new Date(2014, 9, 15)).should.eventually.equal(false),
-      v.nullable(true).isValid(null).should.eventually.equal(true)
+      date().max(max).isValid(valid).should.eventually.equal(true),
+      date().max(max).isValid(invalid).should.eventually.equal(false),
+      date().max(max)
+        .nullable(true)
+        .isValid(null).should.eventually.equal(true),
+
+      date().max(ref('$foo'))
+        .isValid(valid, { context: { foo: max }})
+        .should.eventually.equal(true),
+      date().max(ref('$foo'))
+        .isValid(invalid, { context: { foo: max }})
+        .should.eventually.equal(false)
     ])
   })
 })
-