diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
index 6dc320bed..efe55f2d9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
@@ -15,16 +15,10 @@ def naturalday_partial(date, arg=None):
     If arg is a Django-defined format such as "DATE_FORMAT", it will be adjusted
     so that the precision of the PartialDate object is honored.
     """
-    django_formats = ("DATE_FORMAT", "SHORT_DATE_FORMAT", "YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT")
-    if not isinstance(date, PartialDate):
-        return defaultfilters.date(date, arg)
-    if arg is None:
-        arg = "DATE_FORMAT"
-    if date.has_day:
-        fmt = arg
-    elif date.has_month:
-        # there is no SHORT_YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT, so we ignore SHORT_DATE_FORMAT :(
-        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 not isinstance(date, PartialDate) or date.has_day:
+        return naturalday(date, arg)
+    if not arg or arg == "DATE_FORMAT":
+        arg = "YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT" if date.has_month else "Y"
+    elif not date.has_month and arg in ("SHORT_DATE_FORMAT", "YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT"):
+        arg = "Y"
+    return defaultfilters.date(date, arg)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
index f7ea73891..bd31a95c9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
@@ -2,9 +2,15 @@
 from dateutil.parser import isoparse
 
 from django.test import TestCase, override_settings
+from django.utils import timezone
 
 from bookwyrm.templatetags import date_ext
-from bookwyrm.utils.partial_date import MonthParts, YearParts, from_partial_isoformat
+from bookwyrm.utils.partial_date import (
+    MonthParts,
+    PartialDate,
+    YearParts,
+    from_partial_isoformat,
+)
 
 
 @override_settings(LANGUAGE_CODE="en-AU")
@@ -60,3 +66,20 @@ class PartialDateTags(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             "December.31", date_ext.naturalday_partial(self._partial_year, "F.j")
         )
+
+    def test_natural_format(self):
+        """today and yesterday are handled correctly"""
+        today = timezone.now()
+        today_date = today.date()
+        today_exact = PartialDate.from_datetime(today)
+
+        # exact dates can be naturalized
+        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"))