diff --git a/validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/cos/GFCosInfo.java b/validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/cos/GFCosInfo.java
index a4fcd523c..3696a72c9 100644
--- a/validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/cos/GFCosInfo.java
+++ b/validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/cos/GFCosInfo.java
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ public String getXMPDescription() {
 
     @Override
     public Boolean getdoCreationDatesMatch() {
+        String creationDate = getCreationDate();
+        if (creationDate == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
         Calendar xmpCreateDate = null;
         if (meta != null) {
             try {
@@ -210,16 +214,19 @@ public Boolean getdoCreationDatesMatch() {
             } catch (XMPException ignored) {
             }
         }
-        String creationDate = getCreationDate();
-        if (xmpCreateDate != null && creationDate != null) {
+        if (xmpCreateDate != null) {
             Calendar creationDateCalendar = TypeConverter.parseDate(creationDate);
             return creationDateCalendar != null && xmpCreateDate.compareTo(creationDateCalendar) == 0;
         }
-        return null;
+        return false;
     }
 
     @Override
     public Boolean getdoModDatesMatch() {
+        String modDate = getModDate();
+        if (modDate == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
         Calendar xmpModifyDate = null;
         if (meta != null) {
             try {
@@ -227,12 +234,11 @@ public Boolean getdoModDatesMatch() {
             } catch (XMPException ignored) {
             }
         }
-        String modDate = getModDate();
-        if (xmpModifyDate != null && modDate != null) {
+        if (xmpModifyDate != null) {
             Calendar modDateCalendar = TypeConverter.parseDate(modDate);
             return modDateCalendar != null && xmpModifyDate.compareTo(modDateCalendar) == 0;
         }
-        return null;
+        return false;
     }
 
     @Override