diff --git a/frontend/src/stores.js b/frontend/src/stores.js
index 9a214a9..d31729d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores.js
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ class MessageStore extends Store {
         if (previous && (message._createdAtDate.getTime() - previous._createdAtDate.getTime()) <= 100 * 1000 && message.author_id === previous.author_id) {
             message._clumped = true;
         }
-        if (previous && (previous._createdAtDateString !== message._createdAtDateString)) {
+        if (!previous || (previous._createdAtDateString !== message._createdAtDateString)) {
             message._aboveDateMarker = new Intl.DateTimeFormat(getItem("ui:locale"), { month: "long", day: "numeric", year: "numeric" }).format(message._createdAtDate);
         }
         return message;