diff --git a/__tests__/useStopwatch.test.ts b/__tests__/useStopwatch.test.ts
index e1ff9b6..febca30 100644
--- a/__tests__/useStopwatch.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/useStopwatch.test.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@ describe('useStopwatch', () => {
 			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(0);
 			expect(result.current.milliseconds).toBe(0);
 		});
+
+		test('non Date offsetTimestamp values', () => {
+			const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+        useStopwatch({ offsetTimestamp: {} as unknown as Date })
+      );
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(0);
+			expect(result.current.totalMilliseconds).toBe(0);
+
+			act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(3000); });
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(3);
+		});
 	});
 
 	describe('interval', () => {
@@ -404,5 +417,40 @@ describe('useStopwatch', () => {
 			expect(result.current.isRunning).toBe(true);
 			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(5);
 		});
+
+		test('calling reset with a non Date argument resets the stopwatch to 0', () => {
+			const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+        useStopwatch()
+      );
+
+			act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000); });
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(5);
+
+			// react passes the event object when reset is used directly as onClick={reset}
+			act(() => result.current.reset({ type: 'click' } as unknown as Date));
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(0);
+
+			act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(2000); });
+
+			expect(result.current.isRunning).toBe(true);
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(2);
+		});
+
+		test('calling reset with an invalid Date resets the stopwatch to 0', () => {
+			const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+        useStopwatch()
+      );
+
+			act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000); });
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(5);
+
+			act(() => result.current.reset(new Date('invalid')));
+
+			expect(result.current.seconds).toBe(0);
+			expect(result.current.totalMilliseconds).toBe(0);
+		});
 	});
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/demo/components/UseStopwatchDemo.tsx b/demo/components/UseStopwatchDemo.tsx
index 0b05489..bf033b2 100644
--- a/demo/components/UseStopwatchDemo.tsx
+++ b/demo/components/UseStopwatchDemo.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { useStopwatch } from '../../src/index';
 import Button from './Button';
 import TimerStyled from './TimerStyled';
 
-export default function UseStopwatchDemo({ interval }: { interval: number}) {
+export default function UseStopwatchDemo({ interval }: { interval: number }) {
   const {
     milliseconds,
     seconds,
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export default function UseStopwatchDemo({ interval }: { interval: number}) {
       <TimerStyled milliseconds={milliseconds} seconds={seconds} minutes={minutes} hours={hours} days={days} enableMilliseconds={interval < 1000} />
       <Button onClick={start}>Start</Button>
       <Button onClick={pause}>Pause</Button>
-      <Button onClick={() => reset()}>Reset</Button>
+      <Button onClick={reset}>Reset</Button>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 220bc7c..8e285f7 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ function MyStopwatch() {
       <p>{isRunning ? 'Running' : 'Not running'}</p>
       <button onClick={start}>Start</button>
       <button onClick={pause}>Pause</button>
-      <button onClick={reset}>Reset</button>
+      <button onClick={() => reset()}>Reset</button>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/useStopwatch.ts b/src/useStopwatch.ts
index 13e3ecf..52c5053 100644
--- a/src/useStopwatch.ts
+++ b/src/useStopwatch.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
+import { useState, useCallback, SyntheticEvent } from 'react';
 import { Time } from './utils';
 import { useInterval } from './hooks';
 import { SECOND_INTERVAL } from './constants';
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ export type useStopwatchSettingsType = {
 };
 
 export type useStopwatchResultType = TimeFromMillisecondsType & {
-  start: () => void, 
-  pause: () => void, 
-  reset: (offset?: Date, newAutoStart?: boolean) => void, 
+  start: () => void,
+  pause: () => void,
+  reset: (offset?: Date | SyntheticEvent, newAutoStart?: boolean) => void,
   isRunning: boolean,
 };
 
 export default function useStopwatch({ autoStart = true, offsetTimestamp, interval: customInterval = SECOND_INTERVAL }: useStopwatchSettingsType = {}): useStopwatchResultType {
-  const offsetMilliseconds = offsetTimestamp ? Time.getMillisecondsFromExpiry(offsetTimestamp) : 0;
+  const offsetMilliseconds = Time.isValidDate(offsetTimestamp) ? Time.getMillisecondsFromExpiry(offsetTimestamp) : 0;
   const [prevTime, setPrevTime] = useState<number>(new Date().getTime() - new Date(offsetMilliseconds).getTime());
   const [milliseconds, setMilliseconds] = useState(Time.getMillisecondsFromPrevTime(prevTime || 0));
   const [isRunning, setIsRunning] = useState(autoStart);
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ export default function useStopwatch({ autoStart = true, offsetTimestamp, interv
     }
   }, [prevTime, isRunning]);
 
-  const reset = useCallback((offset?: Date, newAutoStart = true) => {
-    const newOffsetMilliseconds = offset ? Time.getMillisecondsFromExpiry(offset) : 0;
+  const reset = useCallback((offset?: Date | SyntheticEvent, newAutoStart = true) => {
+    const newOffsetMilliseconds = Time.isValidDate(offset) ? Time.getMillisecondsFromExpiry(offset) : 0;
     const newPrevTime = new Date().getTime() - new Date(newOffsetMilliseconds).getTime();
     const newMilliseconds = Time.getMillisecondsFromPrevTime(newPrevTime);
     const millisecondsOffset = SECOND_INTERVAL - (newMilliseconds % SECOND_INTERVAL);
diff --git a/src/utils/Time.ts b/src/utils/Time.ts
index 21d9758..41365e2 100644
--- a/src/utils/Time.ts
+++ b/src/utils/Time.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ export default class Time {
     };
   }
 
+  static isValidDate(value: unknown): value is Date {
+    return Object.prototype.toString.call(value) === '[object Date]'
+      && !Number.isNaN((value as Date).getTime());
+  }
+
   static getMillisecondsFromExpiry(expiry: Date): number {
     const now = new Date().getTime();
     const milliSecondsDistance = expiry?.getTime() - now;