diff --git a/website/docs/docs/build/incremental-models.md b/website/docs/docs/build/incremental-models.md
index 7d73adb621b..5a0900b4cdd 100644
--- a/website/docs/docs/build/incremental-models.md
+++ b/website/docs/docs/build/incremental-models.md
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ from {{ ref('app_data_events') }}
 
   -- this filter will only be applied on an incremental run
   -- (uses >= to include records whose timestamp occurred since the last run of this model)
-  where event_time >= (select max(event_time) from {{ this }})
+  where event_time >= (select coalesce(max(event_time), '1900-01-01') from {{ this }})
 
 {% endif %}
 ```
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ from {{ ref('app_data_events') }}
 
   -- this filter will only be applied on an incremental run
   -- (uses >= to include records arriving later on the same day as the last run of this model)
-  where date_day >= (select max(date_day) from {{ this }})
+  where date_day >= (select coalesce(max(event_time), '1900-01-01') from {{ this }})
 
 {% endif %}