diff --git a/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/main/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidator.java b/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/main/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidator.java
index 95c850b..3fae9f1 100644
--- a/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/main/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidator.java
+++ b/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/main/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidator.java
@@ -119,17 +119,23 @@ public final class AiResponseValidator {
         DateSource dateSource;
 
         if (parsed.dateString().isPresent()) {
-            String dateStr = parsed.dateString().get();
-            try {
-                resolvedDate = LocalDate.parse(dateStr);
-                dateSource = DateSource.AI_PROVIDED;
-            } catch (DateTimeParseException e) {
-                return AiValidationResult.invalid(
-                        "AI-provided date '" + dateStr + "' is not a valid YYYY-MM-DD date: " + e.getMessage(),
-                        AiErrorClassification.FUNCTIONAL);
+            String dateStr = parsed.dateString().get().trim();
+            // Leere Strings werden wie fehlende Daten behandelt – Fallback auf aktuelles Datum
+            if (dateStr.isEmpty()) {
+                resolvedDate = clockPort.now().atZone(java.time.ZoneOffset.UTC).toLocalDate();
+                dateSource = DateSource.FALLBACK_CURRENT;
+            } else {
+                try {
+                    resolvedDate = LocalDate.parse(dateStr);
+                    dateSource = DateSource.AI_PROVIDED;
+                } catch (DateTimeParseException e) {
+                    return AiValidationResult.invalid(
+                            "AI-provided date '" + dateStr + "' is not a valid YYYY-MM-DD date: " + e.getMessage(),
+                            AiErrorClassification.FUNCTIONAL);
+                }
             }
         } else {
-            // No date provided by the AI → fall back to current date from the clock
+            // Kein Datum von der KI bereitgestellt → Fallback auf aktuelles Datum
             resolvedDate = clockPort.now().atZone(java.time.ZoneOffset.UTC).toLocalDate();
             dateSource = DateSource.FALLBACK_CURRENT;
         }
diff --git a/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/test/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidatorTest.java b/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/test/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidatorTest.java
index 3019465..7d1ae4a 100644
--- a/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/test/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidatorTest.java
+++ b/pdf-umbenenner-application/src/test/java/de/gecheckt/pdf/umbenenner/application/service/AiResponseValidatorTest.java
@@ -65,6 +65,18 @@ class AiResponseValidatorTest {
         assertThat(proposal.dateSource()).isEqualTo(DateSource.FALLBACK_CURRENT);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void validate_aiProvidesEmptyDateString_usesFallbackCurrentDate() {
+        ParsedAiResponse parsed = ParsedAiResponse.of("Kontoauszug", "No date in document", "");
+
+        AiResponseValidator.AiValidationResult result = validator.validate(parsed);
+
+        assertThat(result).isInstanceOf(AiResponseValidator.AiValidationResult.Valid.class);
+        NamingProposal proposal = ((AiResponseValidator.AiValidationResult.Valid) result).proposal();
+        assertThat(proposal.resolvedDate()).isEqualTo(FIXED_DATE);
+        assertThat(proposal.dateSource()).isEqualTo(DateSource.FALLBACK_CURRENT);
+    }
+
     @Test
     void validate_titleWithUmlauts_isAccepted() {
         ParsedAiResponse parsed = ParsedAiResponse.of("Mietvertrag Müller", "Rental contract", null);