diff --git a/src/databoard.coffee b/src/databoard.coffee
index 09cbb9f31..42942af30 100644
--- a/src/databoard.coffee
+++ b/src/databoard.coffee
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class DataBoard
       @deleteIfEmpty {boardID}
 
     now = Date.now()
-    if @data.lastChecked < now - 12 * $.HOUR
+    if (@data.lastChecked or 0) < now - 12 * $.HOUR
       @data.lastChecked = now
       for boardID of @data.boards
         @ajaxClean boardID