diff --git a/api/types.go b/api/types.go
index 968d5cd87..1e3a4babf 100644
--- a/api/types.go
+++ b/api/types.go
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ type ReleaseStatus struct {
 	Resources string `json:"resources,omitempty"`
 	// Contains the rendered templates/NOTES.txt if available
 	Notes         string           `json:"notes,omitempty"`
-	FirstDeployed unversioned.Time `json:"first_deployed,omitempty"`
-	LastDeployed  unversioned.Time `json:"last_deployed,omitempty"`
+	FirstDeployed *unversioned.Time `json:"first_deployed,omitempty"`
+	LastDeployed  *unversioned.Time `json:"last_deployed,omitempty"`
 	// Deleted tracks when this object was deleted.
-	Deleted unversioned.Time `json:"deleted,omitempty"`
+	Deleted *unversioned.Time `json:"deleted,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type ReleaseList struct {
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/releases.go b/pkg/storage/driver/releases.go
index 86b92a58e..15af61420 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/releases.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/releases.go
@@ -419,10 +419,10 @@ func newReleasesObject(key string, rls *rspb.Release, lbs labels) (*rapi.Release
 	return r, nil
 }
 
-func toKubeTime(pbt *google_protobuf.Timestamp) unversioned.Time {
-	var t unversioned.Time
+func toKubeTime(pbt *google_protobuf.Timestamp) *unversioned.Time {
 	if pbt != nil {
-		t = unversioned.NewTime(time.Unix(pbt.Seconds, int64(pbt.Nanos)))
+		t := unversioned.NewTime(time.Unix(pbt.Seconds, int64(pbt.Nanos)))
+		return &t
 	}
-	return t
+	return nil
 }