diff --git a/hgext/histedit.py b/hgext/histedit.py
--- a/hgext/histedit.py
+++ b/hgext/histedit.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ file open in your editor::
  #  p, pick = use commit
  #  e, edit = use commit, but stop for amending
  #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
- #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+ #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
  #  d, drop = remove commit from history
  #  m, mess = edit commit message without changing commit content
  #
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ would reorganize the file to look like t
  #  p, pick = use commit
  #  e, edit = use commit, but stop for amending
  #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
- #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+ #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
  #  d, drop = remove commit from history
  #  m, mess = edit commit message without changing commit content
  #
@@ -725,6 +725,15 @@ class fold(histeditaction):
         """
         return True
 
+    def firstdate(self):
+        """Returns true if the rule should preserve the date of the first
+        change.
+
+        This exists mainly so that 'rollup' rules can be a subclass of
+        'fold'.
+        """
+        return False
+
     def finishfold(self, ui, repo, ctx, oldctx, newnode, internalchanges):
         parent = ctx.parents()[0].node()
         repo.ui.pushbuffer()
@@ -743,7 +752,10 @@ class fold(histeditaction):
                 [oldctx.description()]) + '\n'
         commitopts['message'] = newmessage
         # date
-        commitopts['date'] = max(ctx.date(), oldctx.date())
+        if self.firstdate():
+            commitopts['date'] = ctx.date()
+        else:
+            commitopts['date'] = max(ctx.date(), oldctx.date())
         extra = ctx.extra().copy()
         # histedit_source
         # note: ctx is likely a temporary commit but that the best we can do
@@ -810,7 +822,7 @@ class _multifold(fold):
         return True
 
 @action(["roll", "r"],
-        _("like fold, but discard this commit's description"))
+        _("like fold, but discard this commit's description and date"))
 class rollup(fold):
     def mergedescs(self):
         return False
@@ -818,6 +830,9 @@ class rollup(fold):
     def skipprompt(self):
         return True
 
+    def firstdate(self):
+        return True
+
 @action(["drop", "d"],
         _('remove commit from history'))
 class drop(histeditaction):
@@ -887,7 +902,7 @@ def histedit(ui, repo, *freeargs, **opts
 
     - `fold` to combine it with the preceding changeset (using the later date)
 
-    - `roll` like fold, but discarding this commit's description
+    - `roll` like fold, but discarding this commit's description and date
 
     - `edit` to edit this changeset (preserving date)
 
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-arguments.t b/tests/test-histedit-arguments.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-arguments.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-arguments.t
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Run a dummy edit to make sure we get tip
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
 Run on a revision not ancestors of the current working directory.
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ Test that trimming description using mul
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
 Test --continue with --keep
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ Check that 'roll' is selected by default
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
   $ cd ..
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-bookmark-motion.t b/tests/test-histedit-bookmark-motion.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-bookmark-motion.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-bookmark-motion.t
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
   $ hg histedit 1 --commands - --verbose << EOF | grep histedit
   > pick 177f92b77385 2 c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
   $ hg histedit 1 --commands - --verbose << EOF | grep histedit
   > pick b346ab9a313d 1 c
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-commute.t b/tests/test-histedit-commute.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-commute.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-commute.t
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ show the edit commands offered
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
 edit the history
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ Verify that revsetalias entries work wit
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
 should also work if a commit message is missing
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-edit.t b/tests/test-histedit-edit.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-edit.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-edit.t
@@ -478,5 +478,5 @@ Attempting to fold a change into a publi
   #  p, fold = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-fold-non-commute.t b/tests/test-histedit-fold-non-commute.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-fold-non-commute.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-fold-non-commute.t
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ manifest
 
   $ cd ..
 
-Repeat test using "roll", not "fold". "roll" folds in changes but drops message
+Repeat test using "roll", not "fold". "roll" folds in changes but drops message and date
 
   $ initrepo r2
   $ cd r2
@@ -276,15 +276,15 @@ just continue this time
 
 log after edit
   $ hg log --graph
-  @  changeset:   5:162978f027fb
+  @  changeset:   5:b538bcb461be
   |  tag:         tip
   |  user:        test
   |  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:06 1970 +0000
   |  summary:     f
   |
-  o  changeset:   4:74e5e6c6c32f
+  o  changeset:   4:317e37cb6d66
   |  user:        test
-  |  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:07 1970 +0000
+  |  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:04 1970 +0000
   |  summary:     d
   |
   o  changeset:   3:092e4ce14829
@@ -324,13 +324,13 @@ manifest
 description is taken from rollup target commit
 
   $ hg log --debug --rev 4
-  changeset:   4:74e5e6c6c32fa39f0eeed43302fd48633ea5926f
+  changeset:   4:317e37cb6d66c1c84628c00e5bf4c8c292831951
   phase:       draft
   parent:      3:092e4ce14829f4974399ce4316d59f64ef0b6725
   parent:      -1:0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
   manifest:    4:b068a323d969f22af1296ec6a5ea9384cef437ac
   user:        test
-  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:07 1970 +0000
+  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:04 1970 +0000
   files:       d e
   extra:       branch=default
   extra:       histedit_source=ae78f4c9d74ffa4b6cb5045001c303fe9204e890,42abbb61bede6f4366fa1e74a664343e5d558a70
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-fold.t b/tests/test-histedit-fold.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-fold.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-fold.t
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ check histedit_source, including that it
   
   
 
-rollup will fold without preserving the folded commit's message
+rollup will fold without preserving the folded commit's message or date
 
   $ OLDHGEDITOR=$HGEDITOR
   $ HGEDITOR=false
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ rollup will fold without preserving the 
 
 log after edit
   $ hg logt --graph
-  @  3:fb13f1f49340 d
+  @  3:bab801520cec d
   |
-  o  2:6d4bc3727566 f
+  o  2:58c8f2bfc151 f
   |
-  o  1:563995ddbe65 b
+  o  1:5d939c56c72e b
   |
   o  0:8580ff50825a a
   
@@ -133,13 +133,13 @@ log after edit
 description is taken from rollup target commit
 
   $ hg log --debug --rev 1
-  changeset:   1:563995ddbe650c0e6b0e1c1d75f0a197b61cec50
+  changeset:   1:5d939c56c72e77e29f5167696218e2131a40f5cf
   phase:       draft
   parent:      0:8580ff50825a50c8f716709acdf8de0deddcd6ab
   parent:      -1:0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
   manifest:    1:b5e112a3a8354e269b1524729f0918662d847c38
   user:        test
-  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:05 1970 +0000
+  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:02 1970 +0000
   files+:      b e
   extra:       branch=default
   extra:       histedit_source=97d72e5f12c7e84f85064aa72e5a297142c36ed9,505a591af19eed18f560af827b9e03d2076773dc
@@ -171,13 +171,13 @@ check saving last-message.txt
   > EOF
 
   $ rm -f .hg/last-message.txt
-  $ hg status --rev '6d4bc3727566^1::fb13f1f49340'
+  $ hg status --rev '58c8f2bfc151^1::bab801520cec'
   A c
   A d
   A f
-  $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg histedit 6d4bc3727566 --commands - 2>&1 <<EOF
-  > pick 6d4bc3727566 f
-  > fold fb13f1f49340 d
+  $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg histedit 58c8f2bfc151 --commands - 2>&1 <<EOF
+  > pick 58c8f2bfc151 f
+  > fold bab801520cec d
   > EOF
   allow non-folding commit
   ==== before editing
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-obsolete.t b/tests/test-histedit-obsolete.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-obsolete.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-obsolete.t
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ Base setup for the rest of the testing
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
   $ hg histedit 1 --commands - --verbose <<EOF | grep histedit
   > pick 177f92b77385 2 c
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-outgoing.t b/tests/test-histedit-outgoing.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-outgoing.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-outgoing.t
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ show the edit commands offered by outgoi
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
   $ cd ..
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ show the error from unrelated repos
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
   $ cd ..
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ test sensitivity to branch in URL:
   #  p, pick = use commit
   #  d, drop = remove commit from history
   #  f, fold = use commit, but combine it with the one above
-  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description
+  #  r, roll = like fold, but discard this commit's description and date
   #
 
 test to check number of roots in outgoing revisions