diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_webview_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_webview_views.py
index 29354a815c..fc335794cc 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_webview_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_webview_views.py
@@ -795,13 +795,19 @@ class CertificatesViewsTests(CommonCertificatesTestCase):
         self.assertIn('Signatory_Title 0', response.content)
 
     @override_settings(FEATURES=FEATURES_WITH_CERTS_ENABLED)
-    @ddt.data(True, False)
-    def test_html_view_certificate_availability_date_for_instructor_paced_courses(self, is_self_paced):
+    @ddt.data(
+        (datetime.datetime.now() - datetime.timedelta(days=1), True),
+        (datetime.datetime.today() - datetime.timedelta(days=1), False),
+        (datetime.datetime.today() + datetime.timedelta(days=10), False)
+    )
+    @ddt.unpack
+    def test_html_view_certificate_availability_date_for_instructor_paced_courses(self, cert_avail_date, is_self_paced):
         """
         test certificate web view should display the certificate availability date
         as the issued date for instructor-paced courses
         """
         self.course.self_paced = is_self_paced
+        self.course.certificate_available_date = cert_avail_date
         self.course.save()
         self._add_course_certificates(count=1, signatory_count=1, is_active=True)
         test_url = get_certificate_url(
@@ -809,11 +815,10 @@ class CertificatesViewsTests(CommonCertificatesTestCase):
             course_id=unicode(self.course.id)
         )
 
-        if is_self_paced:
+        if is_self_paced or cert_avail_date > datetime.datetime.today():
             expected_date = datetime.datetime.today()
         else:
             expected_date = self.course.certificate_available_date
-
         response = self.client.get(test_url)
         date = '{month} {day}, {year}'.format(
             month=strftime_localized(expected_date, "%B"),
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/views/webview.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/views/webview.py
index eb535020d8..88a37ff783 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/views/webview.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/views/webview.py
@@ -100,8 +100,12 @@ def _update_certificate_context(context, user_certificate, platform_name):
 
     # Translators:  The format of the date includes the full name of the month
     course = get_course_by_id(user_certificate.course_id) if user_certificate.course_id else None
-
-    if course and not course.self_paced and course.certificate_available_date:
+    if (
+        course and
+        not course.self_paced and
+        course.certificate_available_date and
+        course.certificate_available_date < datetime.now(pytz.UTC)
+    ):
         date = course.certificate_available_date
     else:
         date = user_certificate.modified_date