diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 546a8d6c8..d0c1e639b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -392,10 +392,10 @@ class Quotation(BookStatus):
     def _format_position(self) -> Optional[str]:
         """serialize page position"""
         beg = self.position
-        end = self.endposition or 0
+        end = self.endposition
         if self.position_mode != "PG" or not beg:
             return None
-        return f"pp. {beg}-{end}" if end > beg else f"p. {beg}"
+        return f"pp. {beg}-{end}" if end else f"p. {beg}"
 
     @property
     def pure_content(self):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_status_model.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_status_model.py
index e97febbfa..6323eeca3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_status_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_status_model.py
@@ -340,8 +340,11 @@ class Status(TestCase):
     def test_quotation_page_serialization(self, *_):
         """serialization of quotation page position"""
         tests = [
-            ("single pos", 7, None, "p. 7"),
-            ("page range", 7, 10, "pp. 7-10"),
+            ("single pos", "7", "", "p. 7"),
+            ("missing beg", "", "10", None),
+            ("page range", "7", "10", "pp. 7-10"),
+            ("page range roman", "xv", "xvi", "pp. xv-xvi"),
+            ("page range reverse", "14", "10", "pp. 14-10"),
         ]
         for desc, beg, end, pages in tests:
             with self.subTest(desc):
@@ -355,10 +358,12 @@ class Status(TestCase):
                     position_mode="PG",
                 )
                 activity = status.to_activity(pure=True)
-                self.assertRegex(
-                    activity["content"],
-                    f'^<p>"my quote"</p> <p>— <a .+</a>, {pages}</p>$',
-                )
+                if pages:
+                    pages_re = re.escape(pages)
+                    expect_re = f'^<p>"my quote"</p> <p>— <a .+</a>, {pages_re}</p>$'
+                else:
+                    expect_re = '^<p>"my quote"</p> <p>— <a .+</a></p>$'
+                self.assertRegex(activity["content"], expect_re)
 
     def test_review_to_activity(self, *_):
         """subclass of the base model version with a "pure" serializer"""