diff --git a/pgtype/date.go b/pgtype/date.go
index 6cd8e499..307f1e59 100644
--- a/pgtype/date.go
+++ b/pgtype/date.go
@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ func (src *Date) AssignTo(dst interface{}) error {
 			// if dst is a pointer to pointer, strip the pointer and try again
 			case reflect.Ptr:
 				if src.Status == Null {
-					if !el.IsNil() {
-						// if the destination pointer is not nil, nil it out
-						el.Set(reflect.Zero(el.Type()))
-					}
+					el.Set(reflect.Zero(el.Type()))
 					return nil
 				}
 				if el.IsNil() {
diff --git a/pgtype/date_test.go b/pgtype/date_test.go
index c3e971d0..65d743e9 100644
--- a/pgtype/date_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/date_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package pgtype_test
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ func TestDateConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		source interface{}
 		result pgtype.Date
 	}{
+		{source: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), Status: pgtype.Present}, result: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), result: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), result: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1999, 12, 31, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), result: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(1999, 12, 31, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), Status: pgtype.Present}},
@@ -49,3 +51,47 @@ func TestDateConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDateAssignTo(t *testing.T) {
+	var tim time.Time
+	var ptim *time.Time
+
+	simpleTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Date
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim, expected: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local)},
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Time{}, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &ptim, expected: ((*time.Time)(nil))},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range simpleTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+
+	pointerAllocTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Date
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ptim, expected: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local)},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range pointerAllocTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pgtype/int4_test.go b/pgtype/int4_test.go
index 04411849..cd57e2c9 100644
--- a/pgtype/int4_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/int4_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package pgtype_test
 
 import (
 	"math"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/pgtype"
@@ -19,8 +20,6 @@ func TestInt4Transcode(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestInt4ConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
-	type _int8 int8
-
 	successfulTests := []struct {
 		source interface{}
 		result pgtype.Int4
@@ -53,3 +52,70 @@ func TestInt4ConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestInt4AssignTo(t *testing.T) {
+	var i8 int8
+	var i16 int16
+	var i32 int32
+	var i64 int64
+	var i int
+	var ui8 uint8
+	var ui16 uint16
+	var ui32 uint32
+	var ui64 uint64
+	var ui uint
+	var pi8 *int8
+	var _i8 _int8
+	var _pi8 *_int8
+
+	simpleTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Int4
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i8, expected: int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i16, expected: int16(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i32, expected: int32(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i64, expected: int64(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i, expected: int(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui8, expected: uint8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui16, expected: uint16(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui32, expected: uint32(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui64, expected: uint64(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui, expected: uint(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &_i8, expected: _int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &pi8, expected: ((*int8)(nil))},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &_pi8, expected: ((*_int8)(nil))},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range simpleTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+
+	pointerAllocTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Int4
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &pi8, expected: int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &_pi8, expected: _int8(42)},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range pointerAllocTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pgtype/int8_test.go b/pgtype/int8_test.go
index ba246224..f9d8646f 100644
--- a/pgtype/int8_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/int8_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package pgtype_test
 
 import (
 	"math"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/pgtype"
@@ -19,8 +20,6 @@ func TestInt8Transcode(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestInt8ConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
-	type _int8 int8
-
 	successfulTests := []struct {
 		source interface{}
 		result pgtype.Int8
@@ -53,3 +52,70 @@ func TestInt8ConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestInt8AssignTo(t *testing.T) {
+	var i8 int8
+	var i16 int16
+	var i32 int32
+	var i64 int64
+	var i int
+	var ui8 uint8
+	var ui16 uint16
+	var ui32 uint32
+	var ui64 uint64
+	var ui uint
+	var pi8 *int8
+	var _i8 _int8
+	var _pi8 *_int8
+
+	simpleTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Int8
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i8, expected: int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i16, expected: int16(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i32, expected: int32(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i64, expected: int64(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i, expected: int(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui8, expected: uint8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui16, expected: uint16(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui32, expected: uint32(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui64, expected: uint64(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui, expected: uint(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &_i8, expected: _int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &pi8, expected: ((*int8)(nil))},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &_pi8, expected: ((*_int8)(nil))},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range simpleTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+
+	pointerAllocTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Int8
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &pi8, expected: int8(42)},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 42, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &_pi8, expected: _int8(42)},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range pointerAllocTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go b/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
index 795195f8..adb72620 100644
--- a/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package pgtype_test
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ func TestTimestamptzConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		source interface{}
 		result pgtype.Timestamptz
 	}{
+		{source: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}, result: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), result: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(1900, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), result: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}},
 		{source: time.Date(1999, 12, 31, 12, 59, 59, 0, time.Local), result: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(1999, 12, 31, 12, 59, 59, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}},
@@ -58,3 +60,47 @@ func TestTimestamptzConvertFrom(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTimestamptzAssignTo(t *testing.T) {
+	var tim time.Time
+	var ptim *time.Time
+
+	simpleTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Timestamptz
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim, expected: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local)},
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Time{}, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &ptim, expected: ((*time.Time)(nil))},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range simpleTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+
+	pointerAllocTests := []struct {
+		src      pgtype.Timestamptz
+		dst      interface{}
+		expected interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ptim, expected: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local)},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range pointerAllocTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if dst := reflect.ValueOf(tt.dst).Elem().Elem().Interface(); dst != tt.expected {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
+		}
+	}
+}