diff --git a/thoth-api/migrations/v0.12.5/up.sql b/thoth-api/migrations/v0.12.5/up.sql
index 0fff94b7f..03fb26fb7 100644
--- a/thoth-api/migrations/v0.12.5/up.sql
+++ b/thoth-api/migrations/v0.12.5/up.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-
+-- Assign updated_at as placeholder publication_date for Active works with no publication date
+-- works in local db with this status as of 17-05-2024: 1 work
+-- Publisher should be notified and add correct publication_date 
+-- !!! This step of migration is irreversible.
+UPDATE work
+    SET
+        publication_date = COALESCE(publication_date, updated_at)
+    WHERE
+        work_status = 'active';
 
 -- Drop constraints, otherwise it won't be able to cast to text
 ALTER TABLE work
@@ -18,11 +26,14 @@ ALTER TABLE work ALTER COLUMN work_status TYPE text;
 UPDATE work 
     SET 
         work_status = 'superseded', 
-        withdrawn_date = updated_at
+        withdrawn_date = COALESCE(withdrawn_date, updated_at)
     WHERE 
         work_status = 'out-of-print' 
         OR work_status = 'out-of-stock-indefinitely' 
         OR work_status = 'inactive';
+
+
+
 -- these work_status currently have no works with this status in production db;
 -- nonetheless, reassign in case works get assigned these work_status
 -- before migration is run in production
@@ -34,7 +45,7 @@ UPDATE work
 -- real works with forthcoming work_status that we don't want to 
 -- incorrectly change to 'unspecified' or 'unknown'. However, this doesn't 
 -- seem like a big deal, since there are no works with these work_status
--- currently.
+-- currently. 
 UPDATE work 
     SET work_status = 'forthcoming' 
     WHERE work_status = 'unspecified' OR work_status = 'unknown';
@@ -45,8 +56,9 @@ UPDATE work
 -- recalled, 0 works
 -- !!! see above: this step of the migration is irreversible.
 UPDATE work 
-    SET work_status = 'withdrawn-from-sale',
-    withdrawn_date = updated_at
+    SET 
+        work_status = 'withdrawn-from-sale',
+        withdrawn_date = COALESCE(withdrawn_date, updated_at)
     WHERE 
         work_status = 'no-longer-our-product'
         OR work_status = 'remaindered'
@@ -75,6 +87,7 @@ ALTER TABLE work
     ADD CONSTRAINT work_active_withdrawn_date_check CHECK
         ((work_status = 'withdrawn-from-sale' OR work_status = 'superseded')
         OR (work_status NOT IN ('withdrawn-from-sale', 'superseded') AND withdrawn_date IS NULL)),
-
-
-
+    -- active works must have publication_date
+    ADD CONSTRAINT work_active_publication_date_check CHECK
+        ((work_status = 'active' AND publication_date IS NOT NULL)
+        OR (work_status != 'active'))
\ No newline at end of file