diff --git a/src/gitlab/graphql.rs b/src/gitlab/graphql.rs
index 332d722..980fc02 100644
--- a/src/gitlab/graphql.rs
+++ b/src/gitlab/graphql.rs
@@ -126,14 +126,21 @@ fn parse_retry_after(response: &reqwest::Response) -> u64 {
         None => return 60,
     };
 
+    parse_retry_after_value(header, SystemTime::now())
+}
+
+fn parse_retry_after_value(header: &str, now: SystemTime) -> u64 {
+    let header = header.trim();
+
     if let Ok(secs) = header.parse::<u64>() {
         return secs.max(1);
     }
 
-    if let Ok(date) = httpdate::parse_http_date(header)
-        && let Ok(delta) = date.duration_since(SystemTime::now())
-    {
-        return delta.as_secs().max(1);
+    if let Ok(date) = httpdate::parse_http_date(header) {
+        return match date.duration_since(now) {
+            Ok(delta) => delta.as_secs().max(1),
+            Err(_) => 1,
+        };
     }
 
     60
diff --git a/src/gitlab/graphql_tests.rs b/src/gitlab/graphql_tests.rs
index 21e963f..89af48e 100644
--- a/src/gitlab/graphql_tests.rs
+++ b/src/gitlab/graphql_tests.rs
@@ -244,6 +244,21 @@ async fn test_retry_after_invalid_falls_back_to_60() {
     }
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_retry_after_http_date_in_past_returns_one_second() {
+    let now = SystemTime::now();
+    let past = now - Duration::from_secs(120);
+    let date_str = httpdate::fmt_http_date(past);
+
+    assert_eq!(parse_retry_after_value(&date_str, now), 1);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_retry_after_delta_seconds_trims_whitespace() {
+    let now = SystemTime::now();
+    assert_eq!(parse_retry_after_value("  120  ", now), 120);
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn test_graphql_network_error() {
     let client = GraphqlClient::new("http://127.0.0.1:1", "token");