diff --git a/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.png b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.png
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index 0000000000..827505fbf0
Binary files /dev/null and b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.png differ
diff --git a/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.svg b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.svg
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.svg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" class="marks" width="360" height="247" viewBox="0 0 360 247"><rect width="360" height="247" fill="white"/><g fill="none" stroke-miterlimit="10" transform="translate(80,10)"><g class="mark-group role-frame root" role="graphics-object" aria-roledescription="group mark container"><g transform="translate(0,0)"><path class="background" aria-hidden="true" d="M0.5,0.5h200v200h-200Z" stroke="#ddd"/><g><g class="mark-group role-axis" aria-hidden="true"><g transform="translate(0.5,200.5)"><path class="background" aria-hidden="true" d="M0,0h0v0h0Z" pointer-events="none"/><g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-grid" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(33,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(67,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(100,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(133,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(167,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(200,-200)" x2="0" y2="200" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g></g><path class="foreground" aria-hidden="true" d="" pointer-events="none" display="none"/></g></g><g class="mark-group role-axis" aria-hidden="true"><g transform="translate(0.5,0.5)"><path class="background" aria-hidden="true" d="M0,0h0v0h0Z" pointer-events="none"/><g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-grid" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,200)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,171)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,143)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,114)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,86)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,57)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,29)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,0)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#ddd" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g></g><path class="foreground" aria-hidden="true" d="" pointer-events="none" display="none"/></g></g><g class="mark-group role-axis" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="axis" aria-label="X-axis titled 'date (year)' for a time scale with values from 2004 to 2010"><g transform="translate(0.5,200.5)"><path class="background" aria-hidden="true" d="M0,0h0v0h0Z" pointer-events="none"/><g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-tick" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(33,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(67,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(100,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(133,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(167,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(200,0)" x2="0" y2="5" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g><g class="mark-text role-axis-label" pointer-events="none"><text text-anchor="start" transform="translate(0,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">2004</text><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(33.394160583941606,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="0">2005</text><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(66.6970802919708,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">2006</text><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(100,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="0">2007</text><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(133.30291970802918,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">2008</text><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(166.69708029197082,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="0">2009</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(200,15)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">2010</text></g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-domain" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,0)" x2="200" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g><g class="mark-text role-axis-title" pointer-events="none"><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(100,30)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="11px" font-weight="bold" fill="#000" opacity="1">date (year)</text></g></g><path class="foreground" aria-hidden="true" d="" pointer-events="none" display="none"/></g></g><g class="mark-group role-axis" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="axis" aria-label="Y-axis titled 'Sum of price' for a linear scale with values from 0 to 7,000"><g transform="translate(0.5,0.5)"><path class="background" aria-hidden="true" d="M0,0h0v0h0Z" pointer-events="none"/><g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-tick" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,200)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,171)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,143)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,114)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,86)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,57)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,29)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/><line transform="translate(0,0)" x2="-5" y2="0" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g><g class="mark-text role-axis-label" pointer-events="none"><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,203)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">0</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,174.42857142857144)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">1,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,145.85714285714286)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">2,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,117.28571428571428)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">3,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,88.71428571428572)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">4,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,60.14285714285714)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">5,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,31.57142857142858)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">6,000</text><text text-anchor="end" transform="translate(-7,3)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="10px" fill="#000" opacity="1">7,000</text></g><g class="mark-rule role-axis-domain" pointer-events="none"><line transform="translate(0,200)" x2="0" y2="-200" stroke="#888" stroke-width="1" opacity="1"/></g><g class="mark-text role-axis-title" pointer-events="none"><text text-anchor="middle" transform="translate(-39.6279296875,100) rotate(-90) translate(0,-2)" font-family="sans-serif" font-size="11px" font-weight="bold" fill="#000" opacity="1">Sum of price</text></g></g><path class="foreground" aria-hidden="true" d="" pointer-events="none" display="none"/></g></g><g class="mark-rect role-mark marks" role="graphics-object" aria-roledescription="rect mark container"><path aria-label="date (year): 2004; Sum of price: 797.38" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M-75,176.7177142857143h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2005; Sum of price: 3437.67" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M-41.605839416058394,101.28085714285716h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2006; Sum of price: 4983.08" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M-8.302919708029194,57.12628571428572h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2007; Sum of price: 6585.1" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M25,11.354285714285705h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2008; Sum of price: 5459.99" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M58.30291970802918,43.50028571428572h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2009; Sum of price: 5399.04" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M91.69708029197082,45.24171428571425h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/><path aria-label="date (year): 2010; Sum of price: 1616.93" role="graphics-symbol" aria-roledescription="tick" d="M125,153.302h150v1h-150Z" fill="#4c78a8"/></g></g><path class="foreground" aria-hidden="true" d="" display="none"/></g></g></g></svg>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.vg.json b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.vg.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e5b840c35b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/compiled/tick_timeunit.vg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
+  "description": "Google's stock price over time.",
+  "background": "white",
+  "padding": 5,
+  "width": 200,
+  "height": 200,
+  "style": "cell",
+  "data": [
+    {
+      "name": "source_0",
+      "url": "data/stocks.csv",
+      "format": {"type": "csv", "parse": {"date": "date"}},
+      "transform": [
+        {"type": "filter", "expr": "datum.symbol==='GOOG'"},
+        {
+          "field": "date",
+          "type": "timeunit",
+          "units": ["year"],
+          "as": ["year_date", "year_date_end"]
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "aggregate",
+          "groupby": ["year_date"],
+          "ops": ["sum"],
+          "fields": ["price"],
+          "as": ["sum_price"]
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "filter",
+          "expr": "(isDate(datum[\"year_date\"]) || (isValid(datum[\"year_date\"]) && isFinite(+datum[\"year_date\"]))) && isValid(datum[\"sum_price\"]) && isFinite(+datum[\"sum_price\"])"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ],
+  "marks": [
+    {
+      "name": "marks",
+      "type": "rect",
+      "style": ["tick"],
+      "from": {"data": "source_0"},
+      "encode": {
+        "update": {
+          "fill": {"value": "#4c78a8"},
+          "ariaRoleDescription": {"value": "tick"},
+          "description": {
+            "signal": "\"date (year): \" + (timeFormat(datum[\"year_date\"], timeUnitSpecifier([\"year\"], {\"year-month\":\"%b %Y \",\"year-month-date\":\"%b %d, %Y \"}))) + \"; Sum of price: \" + (format(datum[\"sum_price\"], \"\"))"
+          },
+          "xc": {"scale": "x", "field": "year_date"},
+          "yc": {"scale": "y", "field": "sum_price"},
+          "width": {"signal": "(1 - 0.25) * width"},
+          "height": {"value": 1}
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "scales": [
+    {
+      "name": "x",
+      "type": "time",
+      "domain": {"data": "source_0", "field": "year_date"},
+      "range": [0, {"signal": "width"}]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "y",
+      "type": "linear",
+      "domain": {"data": "source_0", "field": "sum_price"},
+      "range": [{"signal": "height"}, 0],
+      "nice": true,
+      "zero": true
+    }
+  ],
+  "axes": [
+    {
+      "scale": "x",
+      "orient": "bottom",
+      "gridScale": "y",
+      "grid": true,
+      "tickCount": {"signal": "ceil(width/40)"},
+      "tickMinStep": {
+        "signal": "datetime(2002, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0) - datetime(2001, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0)"
+      },
+      "domain": false,
+      "labels": false,
+      "aria": false,
+      "maxExtent": 0,
+      "minExtent": 0,
+      "ticks": false,
+      "zindex": 0
+    },
+    {
+      "scale": "y",
+      "orient": "left",
+      "gridScale": "x",
+      "grid": true,
+      "tickCount": {"signal": "ceil(height/40)"},
+      "domain": false,
+      "labels": false,
+      "aria": false,
+      "maxExtent": 0,
+      "minExtent": 0,
+      "ticks": false,
+      "zindex": 0
+    },
+    {
+      "scale": "x",
+      "orient": "bottom",
+      "grid": false,
+      "title": "date (year)",
+      "format": {
+        "signal": "timeUnitSpecifier([\"year\"], {\"year-month\":\"%b %Y \",\"year-month-date\":\"%b %d, %Y \"})"
+      },
+      "labelFlush": true,
+      "labelOverlap": true,
+      "tickCount": {"signal": "ceil(width/40)"},
+      "tickMinStep": {
+        "signal": "datetime(2002, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0) - datetime(2001, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0)"
+      },
+      "zindex": 0
+    },
+    {
+      "scale": "y",
+      "orient": "left",
+      "grid": false,
+      "title": "Sum of price",
+      "labelOverlap": true,
+      "tickCount": {"signal": "ceil(height/40)"},
+      "zindex": 0
+    }
+  ]
+}