diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/actions/test_readthrough.py b/bookwyrm/tests/actions/test_readthrough.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c5cddb88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/actions/test_readthrough.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+from django.test import TestCase, Client
+from django.utils import timezone
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from bookwyrm import view_actions as actions, models
+
+class ReadThrough(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.client = Client()
+
+        self.work = models.Work.objects.create(
+            title='Example Work'
+        )
+
+        self.edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title='Example Edition',
+            parent_work=self.work
+        )
+        self.work.default_edition = self.edition
+        self.work.save()
+
+        self.user = models.User.objects.create()
+
+        self.client.force_login(self.user)
+
+    def test_create_basic_readthrough(self):
+        """A basic readthrough doesn't create a progress update"""
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition.readthrough_set.count(), 0)
+
+        self.client.post('/start-reading/{}'.format(self.edition.id), {
+            'start_date': '2020-11-27',
+        })
+
+        readthroughs = self.edition.readthrough_set.all()
+        self.assertEqual(len(readthroughs), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].progressupdate_set.count(), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].start_date,
+            datetime(2020, 11, 27, tzinfo=timezone.utc))
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].pages_read, None)
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].finish_date, None)
+
+    def test_create_progress_readthrough(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition.readthrough_set.count(), 0)
+
+        self.client.post('/start-reading/{}'.format(self.edition.id), {
+            'start_date': '2020-11-27',
+            'pages_read': 50,
+        })
+
+        readthroughs = self.edition.readthrough_set.all()
+        self.assertEqual(len(readthroughs), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].start_date,
+            datetime(2020, 11, 27, tzinfo=timezone.utc))
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].pages_read, 50)
+        self.assertEqual(readthroughs[0].finish_date, None)
+
+        progress_updates = readthroughs[0].progressupdate_set.all()
+        self.assertEqual(len(progress_updates), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(progress_updates[0].mode, models.ProgressMode.PAGE)
+        self.assertEqual(progress_updates[0].progress, 50)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index 130af8f68..f5aee7a42 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -363,6 +363,13 @@ def start_reading(request, book_id):
     if readthrough.start_date:
         readthrough.save()
 
+    # create a progress update if we have a page
+    if readthrough.pages_read:
+        readthrough.progressupdate_set.create(
+            user=request.user,
+            progress=readthrough.pages_read,
+            mode=models.ProgressMode.PAGE)
+
     # shelve the book
     if request.POST.get('reshelve', True):
         try:
@@ -728,7 +735,8 @@ def update_readthrough(request, book=None, create=True):
     start_date = request.POST.get('start_date')
     if start_date:
         try:
-            start_date = dateutil.parser.parse(start_date)
+            start_date = timezone.make_aware(
+                dateutil.parser.parse(start_date))
             readthrough.start_date = start_date
         except ParserError:
             pass
@@ -736,7 +744,8 @@ def update_readthrough(request, book=None, create=True):
     finish_date = request.POST.get('finish_date')
     if finish_date:
         try:
-            finish_date = dateutil.parser.parse(finish_date)
+            finish_date = timezone.make_aware(
+                dateutil.parser.parse(finish_date))
             readthrough.finish_date = finish_date
         except ParserError:
             pass