diff --git a/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue b/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
index 5987c123d..9d34a68be 100644
--- a/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
         Unsaved changes
       </span>
       <span v-if="data_loaded && lastModified" class="navbar-text small mx-2"
-        ><i>Last saved {{ lastModified }}</i></span
+        ><i>Last saved: {{ lastModified }}</i></span
       >
       <font-awesome-icon
         icon="save"
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export default {
     async getCollection() {
       await getCollectionData(this.collection_id);
       this.data_loaded = true;
+      this.setLastModified();
     },
     leavePageWarningListener(event) {
       event.preventDefault;
@@ -72,10 +73,14 @@ export default {
         "Unsaved changes present. Would you like to leave without saving?");
     },
     setLastModified() {
-      let item_date = this.collection_data.last_modified;
-      // API dates are in UTC but missing Z suffix
-      const save_date = new Date(item_date + "Z");
-      this.lastModified = formatDistanceToNow(save_date, { addSuffix: true });
+      let item_date = this.collection_data.last_modified || this.collection_data.date;
+      if (item_date == null) {
+        this.lastModified = "Unknown";
+      } else {
+        // API dates are in UTC but missing Z suffix
+        const save_date = new Date(item_date + "Z");
+        this.lastModified = formatDistanceToNow(save_date, { addSuffix: true });
+      }
     },
   },
   computed: {
diff --git a/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue b/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
index 3fde93182..b7267484a 100644
--- a/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ export default {
           console.log(`calling update on block ${block_id}`);
           updateBlockFromServer(this.item_id, block_id, this.item_data.blocks_obj[block_id]);
         });
+        this.setLastModified();
       });
     },
     leavePageWarningListener(event) {
@@ -192,10 +193,11 @@ export default {
       let item_date = this.item_data.last_modified || this.item_data.date;
       if (item_date == null) {
         this.lastModified = "Unknown";
+      } else {
+        // API dates are in UTC but missing Z suffix
+        const save_date = new Date(item_date);
+        this.lastModified = formatDistanceToNow(save_date, { addSuffix: true });
       }
-      // API dates are in UTC but missing Z suffix
-      const save_date = new Date(item_date);
-      this.lastModified = formatDistanceToNow(save_date, { addSuffix: true });
     },
   },
   computed: {