diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupProperties.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupProperties.java
index 2eb3b5e85..d7a48d321 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupProperties.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupProperties.java
@@ -199,19 +199,28 @@ public class ReadGroupProperties extends ReadWalker<Integer, Integer> {
             final boolean hasAnyReads = info.nReadsSeen > 0;
             final int readLength = info.readLength.getMedian(0);
 
-            table.set(rgID, "sample", rg.getSample());
-            table.set(rgID, "library", rg.getLibrary());
-            table.set(rgID, "platform", rg.getPlatform());
-            table.set(rgID, "center", rg.getSequencingCenter());
-            table.set(rgID, "date", dateFormatter.format(rg.getRunDate()));
-            table.set(rgID, "has.any.reads", hasAnyReads);
-            table.set(rgID, "is.paired.end", isPaired);
-            table.set(rgID, "n.reads.analyzed", info.nReadsSeen);
-            table.set(rgID, "simple.read.type", hasAnyReads ? String.format("%dx%d", isPaired ? 2 : 1, readLength) : "NA");
-            table.set(rgID, "median.read.length", hasAnyReads ? readLength : "NA" );
-            table.set(rgID, "median.insert.size", hasAnyReads && isPaired ? info.insertSize.getMedian(0) : "NA" );
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "sample", rg.getSample());
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "library", rg.getLibrary());
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "platform", rg.getPlatform());
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "center", rg.getSequencingCenter());
+            try {
+                setTableValue(table, rgID, "date", rg.getRunDate() != null ? dateFormatter.format(rg.getRunDate()) : "NA");
+            } catch ( NullPointerException e ) {
+                // TODO: remove me when bug in Picard is fixed that causes NPE when date isn't present
+                setTableValue(table, rgID, "date", "NA");
+            }
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "has.any.reads", hasAnyReads);
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "is.paired.end", isPaired);
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "n.reads.analyzed", info.nReadsSeen);
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "simple.read.type", hasAnyReads ? String.format("%dx%d", isPaired ? 2 : 1, readLength) : "NA");
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "median.read.length", hasAnyReads ? readLength : "NA" );
+            setTableValue(table, rgID, "median.insert.size", hasAnyReads && isPaired ? info.insertSize.getMedian(0) : "NA" );
         }
 
         report.print(out);
     }
+
+    private final void setTableValue(GATKReportTable table, final String rgID, final String key, final Object value) {
+        table.set(rgID, key, value == null ? "NA" : value);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupPropertiesIntegrationTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupPropertiesIntegrationTest.java
index 04c30a8fe..1a4c8db30 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupPropertiesIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/diagnostics/ReadGroupPropertiesIntegrationTest.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class ReadGroupPropertiesIntegrationTest extends WalkerTest {
         WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
                 "-T ReadGroupProperties -R " + b37KGReference + " -I " + b37GoodBAM + " -L 20:10,000,000-11,000,000 -o %s",
                 1,
-                Arrays.asList("8e4d09665c0b65c971bd5dead24f95fe"));
+                Arrays.asList("6b8cce223af28cbadcfe87a3b841fc56"));
         executeTest("ReadGroupProperties:", spec);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file