diff --git a/src/web/page/templates.rs b/src/web/page/templates.rs
index 8cb915def..9da280509 100644
--- a/src/web/page/templates.rs
+++ b/src/web/page/templates.rs
@@ -230,14 +230,6 @@ pub mod filters {
         Ok(((multiplier * *value).round() / multiplier).to_string())
     }
 
-    pub fn opt_date(value: &Option<DateTime<Utc>>, format: &str) -> rinja::Result<String> {
-        if let Some(value) = value {
-            Ok(value.format(format).to_string())
-        } else {
-            Ok(String::new())
-        }
-    }
-
     pub fn split_first<'a>(value: &'a str, pat: &str) -> rinja::Result<Option<&'a str>> {
         Ok(value.split(pat).next())
     }
diff --git a/templates/releases/feed.xml b/templates/releases/feed.xml
index 38281de83..59dd65f76 100644
--- a/templates/releases/feed.xml
+++ b/templates/releases/feed.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
     <id>urn:docs-rs:{{ crate::BUILD_VERSION }}</id>
     <updated>
     {%- if let Some(first_release) = recent_releases.get(0) -%}
-        {{ first_release.build_time|opt_date("%+") }}
+        {%- if let Some(build_time) = first_release.build_time -%}
+            {{ build_time.format("%+") }}
+        {%- endif -%}
     {%- endif -%}
     </updated>
 
@@ -28,7 +30,11 @@
 
             <link href="{{ link|safe }}" />
             <id>urn:docs-rs:{{ release.name }}:{{ release.version }}</id>
-            <updated>{{ release.build_time|opt_date("%+") }}</updated>
+            <updated>
+            {% if let Some(build_time) = release.build_time -%}
+                {{ build_time.format("%+") }}
+            {%- endif -%}
+            </updated>
 
             <summary>
                 {%- if let Some(description) = release.description -%}