diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
index ae2690321..bdad92f4c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
@@ -27,4 +27,6 @@ def naturalday_partial(date, arg=None):
         fmt = "YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT" if arg == "DATE_FORMAT" else arg
     else:
         fmt = "Y" if arg in django_formats else arg
-    return naturalday(date, fmt)
+    if date.has_day:
+        return naturalday(date, fmt)
+    return defaultfilters.date(date, fmt)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
index ebeb82907..bd31a95c9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
@@ -77,3 +77,9 @@ class PartialDateTags(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today))
         self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_date))
         self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_exact))
+
+        # dates with missing parts can't
+        today_year = YearParts.from_datetime(today)
+        today_month = MonthParts.from_datetime(today)
+        self.assertEqual(str(today.year), date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_year))
+        self.assertEqual(str(today.year), date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_month, "Y"))