diff --git a/tools/fw-update/pldm_fwup_pkg_creator.py b/tools/fw-update/pldm_fwup_pkg_creator.py
index 42e8a5a..0209f1a 100755
--- a/tools/fw-update/pldm_fwup_pkg_creator.py
+++ b/tools/fw-update/pldm_fwup_pkg_creator.py
@@ -181,14 +181,18 @@
         struct.pack("<BH", package_header_format_revision, package_header_size)
     )
 
-    try:
+    release_date_time_str = metadata["PackageHeaderInformation"].get(
+        "PackageReleaseDateTime", None
+    )
+
+    if release_date_time_str is not None:
         release_date_time = datetime.strptime(
-            metadata["PackageHeaderInformation"]["PackageReleaseDateTime"],
-            "%d/%m/%Y %H:%M:%S",
+            release_date_time_str, "%d/%m/%Y %H:%M:%S"
         )
-        write_pkg_release_date_time(pldm_fw_up_pkg, release_date_time)
-    except KeyError:
-        write_pkg_release_date_time(pldm_fw_up_pkg, datetime.now())
+    else:
+        release_date_time = datetime.now()
+
+    write_pkg_release_date_time(pldm_fw_up_pkg, release_date_time)
 
     component_bitmap_bit_length = write_component_bitmap_bit_length(
         pldm_fw_up_pkg, metadata