diff --git a/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/DateMatcher.kt b/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/DateMatcher.kt
index 5bc6c59..f3ed7dc 100644
--- a/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/DateMatcher.kt
+++ b/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/DateMatcher.kt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class DateMatcherTest {
     companion object {
         val testData = listOf(
             TestData("", "2002", true),
+            TestData("", "2002-01-04", true),
             TestData("2002", "2002", true),
             TestData("2000-2004", "2002", true),
             TestData("1999", "2002", false),
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/Utils.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/Utils.kt
index fb84f56..e958ae3 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/Utils.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/reactome/lit_ball/util/Utils.kt
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ class DateMatcher(filteredDate: String?) {
 
     fun matches(publicationDate: String?): Boolean {
         if (!initialized) return false
+        if (fromYear == -infinity && toYear == infinity) return true
         publicationDate?.let { pDate ->
+            if (pDate.isBlank()) return true
             if (pDate.length < 4 || pDate.any { !it.isDigit() })
                 return false
             val pYear = pDate.slice(0..3).toInt()