diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/org/librecms/pages/models/NewsModel.java b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/org/librecms/pages/models/NewsModel.java
index 60123d968..a4359e327 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/org/librecms/pages/models/NewsModel.java
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/org/librecms/pages/models/NewsModel.java
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ public class NewsModel implements ProcessesContentItem {
         return releaseDateTime;
     }
 
-      /**
-     * Returns the release date of the news represeted by this model formatted
+    /**
+     * Returns the release date of the news represented by this model formatted
      * using the provided pattern. The pattern MUST be a valid pattern for
      * {@link DateTimeFormatter#ofPattern(java.lang.String) }.
      *
@@ -104,16 +104,29 @@ public class NewsModel implements ProcessesContentItem {
      * @return The formatted release date.
      */
     public String getReleaseDate(final String pattern) {
-        return DateTimeFormatter
-            .ofPattern(pattern, globalizationHelper.getNegotiatedLocale())
-            .withZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
-            .format(releaseDateTime);
+        return Optional
+            .ofNullable(releaseDateTime)
+            .map(
+                dateTime -> DateTimeFormatter
+                    .ofPattern(
+                        pattern, 
+                        globalizationHelper.getNegotiatedLocale()
+                        )
+                    .withZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
+                    .format(dateTime)
+            )
+            .orElse("");
     }
 
     public String getReleaseDateTimeAsString() {
-        return DateTimeFormatter.ISO_DATE_TIME
-            .withZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
-            .format(releaseDateTime);
+        return Optional
+            .ofNullable(releaseDateTime)
+            .map(
+                dateTime -> DateTimeFormatter.ISO_DATE_TIME
+                    .withZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
+                    .format(dateTime)
+            )
+            .orElse("");        
     }
 
     @Transactional(Transactional.TxType.REQUIRED)
@@ -145,14 +158,14 @@ public class NewsModel implements ProcessesContentItem {
                 .ofNullable(news.getText())
                 .map(globalizationHelper::getValueFromLocalizedString)
                 .orElse("");
-            releaseDateTime = LocalDateTime.from(
-                news.getReleaseDate().toInstant().atZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
-            );
-            // releaseDateTime = Optional
-            //     .ofNullable(news.getReleaseDate())
-            //     .map(Date::toInstant)
-            //     .map(isoDateTimeFormatter::format)
-            //     .orElse("");
+            releaseDateTime = Optional
+                .ofNullable(news.getReleaseDate())
+                .map(
+                    date -> LocalDateTime.from(
+                        date.toInstant().atZone(ZoneId.systemDefault())
+                    )
+                )
+                .orElse(null);
             homepage = news.isHomepage();
         }