diff --git a/WordPress/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/PublishSettingsViewModel.kt b/WordPress/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/PublishSettingsViewModel.kt
index 6b9ac3478a36..0c3a87edcbef 100644
--- a/WordPress/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/PublishSettingsViewModel.kt
+++ b/WordPress/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/PublishSettingsViewModel.kt
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ constructor(
 
     open fun start(postRepository: EditPostRepository?) {
         editPostRepository = postRepository
-        val startCalendar = postRepository?.let { getCurrentPublishDateAsCalendar(it) }
-            ?: localeManagerWrapper.getCurrentCalendar()
+        val startCalendar = postRepository?.takeIf { it.hasPost() }?.let {
+            getCurrentPublishDateAsCalendar(it)
+        } ?: localeManagerWrapper.getCurrentCalendar()
         updateDateAndTimeFromCalendar(startCalendar)
         onPostStatusChanged(postRepository?.getPost())
     }
diff --git a/WordPress/src/test/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest.kt b/WordPress/src/test/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest.kt
index ff79f33bbd8f..ecd6b449465b 100644
--- a/WordPress/src/test/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest.kt
+++ b/WordPress/src/test/java/org/wordpress/android/ui/posts/EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest.kt
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest : BaseUnitTest() {
             null
         }
         whenever(editPostRepository.getPost()).thenReturn(post)
+        whenever(editPostRepository.hasPost()).thenReturn(true)
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -450,4 +451,25 @@ class EditPostPublishSettingsViewModelTest : BaseUnitTest() {
 
         assertThat(schedulingReminderPeriod).isEqualTo(ONE_HOUR)
     }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `on start sets current date when post not present in the repository`() {
+        var uiModel: PublishUiModel? = null
+        viewModel.onUiModel.observeForever {
+            uiModel = it
+        }
+
+        whenever(editPostRepository.hasPost()).thenReturn(false)
+        whenever(editPostRepository.getPost()).thenReturn(null)
+
+        viewModel.start(editPostRepository)
+
+        assertThat(viewModel.year).isEqualTo(2019)
+        assertThat(viewModel.month).isEqualTo(6)
+        assertThat(viewModel.day).isEqualTo(6)
+        assertThat(viewModel.hour).isEqualTo(10)
+        assertThat(viewModel.minute).isEqualTo(20)
+
+        assertThat(uiModel!!.publishDateLabel).isEqualTo("Immediately")
+    }
 }