diff --git a/src/view.timeline.js b/src/view.timeline.js
index 5c0da584..5c24b300 100644
--- a/src/view.timeline.js
+++ b/src/view.timeline.js
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ my.Timeline = Backbone.View.extend({
   },
 
   _parseDate: function(date) {
+    if (!date) {
+      return null;
+    }
     var out = date.trim();
     out = out.replace(/(\d)th/g, '$1');
     out = out.replace(/(\d)st/g, '$1');
diff --git a/test/view.timeline.test.js b/test/view.timeline.test.js
index 8746b0bb..eef8b759 100644
--- a/test/view.timeline.test.js
+++ b/test/view.timeline.test.js
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ test('_parseDate', function () {
     [ 'August 1st 1914', '1914-08-01T00:00:00.000Z' ],
     [ '1914-08-01', '1914-08-01T00:00:00.000Z' ],
     [ '1914-08-01T08:00', '1914-08-01T08:00:00.000Z' ],
-    [ 'afdaf afdaf', null ]
+    [ 'afdaf afdaf', null ],
+    [ null, null ]
   ];
   _.each(testData, function(item) {
     var out = view._parseDate(item[0]);