diff --git a/gnucash/report/business-reports/owner-report.scm b/gnucash/report/business-reports/owner-report.scm
index a9ea698e98..3dd6563673 100644
--- a/gnucash/report/business-reports/owner-report.scm
+++ b/gnucash/report/business-reports/owner-report.scm
@@ -757,13 +757,12 @@
                (gnc:date-option-absolute-time
                (opt-val gnc:pagename-general optname-to-date))))
      (book (gnc-account-get-book account))
-     (date-format (gnc:options-fancy-date book))
+     (date-format (if (not (null? book)) (gnc:options-fancy-date book)))
      (type (opt-val "__reg" "owner-type"))
      (owner-descr (owner-string type))
      (date-type (opt-val gnc:pagename-general optname-date-driver))
      (owner (opt-val owner-page owner-descr))
      (report-title (string-append (doctype-str type) " " (_ "Report"))))
-
     (if (not (gncOwnerIsValid owner))
      (gnc:html-document-add-object!
       document