diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
index 6dc320bed..ae2690321 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/date_ext.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def naturalday_partial(date, arg=None):
     """
     django_formats = ("DATE_FORMAT", "SHORT_DATE_FORMAT", "YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT")
     if not isinstance(date, PartialDate):
-        return defaultfilters.date(date, arg)
+        return naturalday(date, arg)
     if arg is None:
         arg = "DATE_FORMAT"
     if date.has_day:
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
index f7ea73891..ebeb82907 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/templatetags/test_date_ext.py
@@ -2,9 +2,15 @@
 from dateutil.parser import isoparse
 
 from django.test import TestCase, override_settings
+from django.utils import timezone
 
 from bookwyrm.templatetags import date_ext
-from bookwyrm.utils.partial_date import MonthParts, YearParts, from_partial_isoformat
+from bookwyrm.utils.partial_date import (
+    MonthParts,
+    PartialDate,
+    YearParts,
+    from_partial_isoformat,
+)
 
 
 @override_settings(LANGUAGE_CODE="en-AU")
@@ -60,3 +66,14 @@ class PartialDateTags(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             "December.31", date_ext.naturalday_partial(self._partial_year, "F.j")
         )
+
+    def test_natural_format(self):
+        """today and yesterday are handled correctly"""
+        today = timezone.now()
+        today_date = today.date()
+        today_exact = PartialDate.from_datetime(today)
+
+        # exact dates can be naturalized
+        self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today))
+        self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_date))
+        self.assertEqual("today", date_ext.naturalday_partial(today_exact))