diff --git a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
index 47bff65326..0c785232ca 100644
--- a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
+++ b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
@@ -437,7 +437,10 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
                 raise ValidationError(
                     {"death_datetime": "This field value cannot be in the future."}
                 )
-            if attrs.get("death_datetime") < self.instance.admission_date:
+            if (
+                self.instance.admission_date
+                and attrs.get("death_datetime") < self.instance.admission_date
+            ):
                 raise ValidationError(
                     {
                         "death_datetime": "This field value cannot be before the admission date."
@@ -454,7 +457,10 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
             raise ValidationError(
                 {"discharge_date": "This field value cannot be in the future."}
             )
-        elif attrs.get("discharge_date") < self.instance.admission_date:
+        elif (
+            self.instance.admission_date
+            and attrs.get("discharge_date") < self.instance.admission_date
+        ):
             raise ValidationError(
                 {
                     "discharge_date": "This field value cannot be before the admission date."