diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index e8140a21a..32c23414a 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  - fixed: Changing name of Matrix listing leaves discussion forum with old name
  - fixed: Importing a package can break when updating a pending asset
  - fixed: errors on package importing are always reported as corrupted packages
+ - fixed: Optional pubDate RSS field generates warnings when missing
 
 7.5.7
  - fixed: HttpProxy mixes original site's content encoding with WebGUI's
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
index 2d2a100ac..2df415bee 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
@@ -425,12 +425,11 @@ sub _assign_rss_dates {
             $item->{date} = $date;
         }
         else {
-            if (my $pubDate = $session->datetime->mailToEpoch($item->{pubDate})) {
-                $item->{date} = $pubDate;
-            }
-            else {
-                $item->{date} = $session->datetime->time() - (60 * 60 * 24 * 365); # handicap the undated
+            my $pubDate;
+            if ($item->{pubDate}) {
+                $pubDate = $session->datetime->mailToEpoch($item->{pubDate});
             }
+            $item->{date} = $pubDate || $session->datetime->time() - (60 * 60 * 24 * 365); # handicap the undated
             $cache->set($item->{date}, '1 year');
         }
     }