diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 093f58f118..a0f3707ed6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 - Fixed kitsu tracker issue due to domain change
 - Fixed entry custom cover won't load if entry doesn't have cover from source
 - Fixed unread badge doesn't work properly for some sources (notably Komga)
+- Fixed MAL start date parsing (@MajorTanya)
 
 ## Translation
 - Update Japanese translation (@akir45)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
index f919f6318a..18f9927897 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
@@ -116,12 +116,7 @@ class MyAnimeListApi(private val client: OkHttpClient, interceptor: MyAnimeListI
                             tracking_url = "https://myanimelist.net/manga/$media_id"
                             publishing_status = obj["status"]!!.jsonPrimitive.content.replace("_", " ")
                             publishing_type = obj["media_type"]!!.jsonPrimitive.content.replace("_", " ")
-                            start_date = try {
-                                val outputDf = SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd", Locale.US)
-                                outputDf.format(obj["start_date"]!!)
-                            } catch (e: Exception) {
-                                ""
-                            }
+                            start_date = obj["start_date"]?.jsonPrimitive?.content ?: ""
                         }
                     }
             }