diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/embedded/templates/_default/rss.xml b/tpl/tplimpl/embedded/templates/_default/rss.xml
index 2e505f1bc56..2d58f07f1cb 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/embedded/templates/_default/rss.xml
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/embedded/templates/_default/rss.xml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
     <item>
       <title>{{ .Title }}</title>
       <link>{{ .Permalink }}</link>
-      <pubDate>{{ .PublishDate.Format "Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700" | safeHTML }}</pubDate>
+      <pubDate>{{ (or .PublishDate .Date).Format "Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700" | safeHTML }}</pubDate>
       {{- with $authorEmail }}<author>{{ . }}{{ with $authorName }} ({{ . }}){{ end }}</author>{{ end }}
       <guid>{{ .Permalink }}</guid>
       <description>{{ .Summary | transform.XMLEscape | safeHTML }}</description>