diff --git a/data_diff/databases/base.py b/data_diff/databases/base.py
index 6eaa7d8d..8d49548f 100644
--- a/data_diff/databases/base.py
+++ b/data_diff/databases/base.py
@@ -81,6 +81,27 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger("database")
 
 
+def _parse_datetime(s: str) -> datetime:
+    """Parse an ISO 8601 datetime string with the following normalizations:
+
+    - Strips leading/trailing whitespace
+    - Converts 'Z' timezone suffix to '+00:00' for Python 3.10 compatibility
+    - Truncates sub-microsecond precision (>6 fractional digits) to microseconds
+    """
+    s = s.strip()
+    if s.endswith("Z"):
+        s = s[:-1] + "+00:00"
+    dot = s.rfind(".")
+    if dot != -1:
+        frac_end = dot + 1
+        while frac_end < len(s) and s[frac_end].isdigit():
+            frac_end += 1
+        frac_digits = frac_end - dot - 1
+        if frac_digits > 6:
+            s = s[: dot + 7] + s[frac_end:]
+    return datetime.fromisoformat(s)
+
+
 class CompileError(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -985,9 +1006,23 @@ def query(self, sql_ast: Expr | Generator, res_type: type = None, log_message: s
                 return None
             return int(res)
         elif res_type is datetime:
-            res = _one(_one(res))
+            if not res:
+                raise ValueError("Datetime query returned 0 rows, expected 1")
+            row = _one(res)
+            if not row:
+                raise ValueError("Datetime query row is empty, expected 1 column")
+            res = _one(row)
             if isinstance(res, str):
-                res = datetime.fromisoformat(res[:23])  # TODO use a better parsing method
+                try:
+                    res = _parse_datetime(res)
+                except ValueError:
+                    logger.error(
+                        "Failed to parse datetime string returned by database %s: %r (sql: %s)",
+                        self.name,
+                        res,
+                        sql_code,
+                    )
+                    raise
             return res
         elif res_type is tuple:
             if len(res) != 1:
diff --git a/tests/test_datetime_parsing.py b/tests/test_datetime_parsing.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0e83fdaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_datetime_parsing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import pytest
+
+from data_diff.databases.base import _parse_datetime
+
+
+class TestParseDatetime:
+    def test_standard_microsecond_format(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35.123456")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456)
+
+    def test_millisecond_precision(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35.123")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123000)
+
+    def test_no_fractional_seconds(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35)
+
+    def test_nanosecond_precision_truncated(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35.123456789")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456)
+
+    def test_seven_fractional_digits_truncated(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35.1234567")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456)
+
+    def test_trailing_whitespace(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 12:24:35.123456 ")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456)
+
+    def test_leading_whitespace(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("  2022-06-03 12:24:35.123456")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456)
+
+    def test_timezone_offset(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35+00:00")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+    def test_z_suffix_utc(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35Z")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+    def test_nanosecond_precision_with_timezone(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35.123456789+05:30")
+        expected_tz = timezone(timedelta(hours=5, minutes=30))
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456, tzinfo=expected_tz)
+
+    def test_nanosecond_precision_with_z_suffix(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35.123456789Z")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, 123456, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+    def test_all_nines_nanoseconds_truncates_not_rounds(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03 23:59:59.999999999")
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 23, 59, 59, 999999)
+
+    def test_negative_timezone_offset(self):
+        result = _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35-05:00")
+        expected_tz = timezone(timedelta(hours=-5))
+        assert result == datetime(2022, 6, 3, 12, 24, 35, tzinfo=expected_tz)
+
+    def test_trailing_dot_raises(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            _parse_datetime("2022-06-03T12:24:35.")
+
+    def test_invalid_string_raises(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            _parse_datetime("not-a-date")
+
+    def test_empty_string_raises(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            _parse_datetime("")