diff --git a/apps/journal/app/components/ClientDate.tsx b/apps/journal/app/components/ClientDate.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2fcf06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/journal/app/components/ClientDate.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+
+/**
+ * Renders a date only on the client to avoid SSR hydration mismatches.
+ * Server renders empty, client fills in with user's locale.
+ */
+export function ClientDate({ iso }: { iso: string }) {
+  const [formatted, setFormatted] = useState(new Date(iso).toLocaleDateString("en-US"));
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setFormatted(new Date(iso).toLocaleDateString());
+  }, [iso]);
+
+  return <time dateTime={iso}>{formatted}</time>;
+}
diff --git a/apps/journal/app/routes/routes.$id.tsx b/apps/journal/app/routes/routes.$id.tsx
index 378d747..6e90df0 100644
--- a/apps/journal/app/routes/routes.$id.tsx
+++ b/apps/journal/app/routes/routes.$id.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { data, redirect } from "react-router";
 import type { Route } from "./+types/routes.$id";
 import { getSessionUser } from "~/lib/auth.server";
 import { getRouteWithVersions, deleteRoute, updateRoute } from "~/lib/routes.server";
+import { ClientDate } from "~/components/ClientDate";
 
 
 export async function loader({ params, request }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ export default function RouteDetailPage({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
                 <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
                   <span className="font-medium text-gray-700">v{v.version}</span>
                   <span className="text-sm text-gray-500">
-                    {new Date(v.createdAt).toLocaleDateString()}
+                    <ClientDate iso={v.createdAt} />
                   </span>
                 </div>
                 {v.changeDescription && (
diff --git a/apps/journal/app/routes/routes._index.tsx b/apps/journal/app/routes/routes._index.tsx
index 59a30c5..506f07f 100644
--- a/apps/journal/app/routes/routes._index.tsx
+++ b/apps/journal/app/routes/routes._index.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { data, redirect } from "react-router";
 import type { Route } from "./+types/routes._index";
 import { getSessionUser } from "~/lib/auth.server";
 import { listRoutes } from "~/lib/routes.server";
+import { ClientDate } from "~/components/ClientDate";
 
 export async function loader({ request }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
   const user = await getSessionUser(request);
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ export default function RoutesListPage({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
                 <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
                   <h2 className="text-lg font-medium text-gray-900">{route.name}</h2>
                   <span className="text-sm text-gray-500">
-                    {new Date(route.updatedAt).toLocaleDateString()}
+                    <ClientDate iso={route.updatedAt} />
                   </span>
                 </div>
                 <div className="mt-1 flex gap-4 text-sm text-gray-500">