diff --git a/src/Protocol/ActivityPub/Processor.php b/src/Protocol/ActivityPub/Processor.php
index f10df66b6f..6fc81bebee 100644
--- a/src/Protocol/ActivityPub/Processor.php
+++ b/src/Protocol/ActivityPub/Processor.php
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ class Processor
 
 		$item['uri'] = $activity['id'];
 
-		$item['created'] = DateTimeFormat::utc($activity['published']);
-		$item['edited'] = DateTimeFormat::utc($activity['updated']);
+		$item['created'] = DateTimeFormat::utc($activity['published'] ?? 'now');
+		$item['edited'] = DateTimeFormat::utc($activity['updated'] ?? 'now');
 		$guid = $activity['sc:identifier'] ?: self::getGUIDByURL($item['uri']);
 		$item['guid'] = $activity['diaspora:guid'] ?: $guid;