diff --git a/airbyte/_registry_utils.py b/airbyte/_registry_utils.py
index f444f7cd5..635c21250 100644
--- a/airbyte/_registry_utils.py
+++ b/airbyte/_registry_utils.py
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ def parse_changelog_html(  # noqa: PLR0914
 
 def registry_entry_commit_date(entry: dict) -> str | None:
     """Return the YYYY-MM-DD date of a registry entry's git commit timestamp."""
-    commit_timestamp = entry.get("generated", {}).get("git", {}).get("commit_timestamp")
+    git_info = (entry.get("generated") or {}).get("git") or {}
+    commit_timestamp = git_info.get("commit_timestamp")
     if isinstance(commit_timestamp, str):
         date_match = re.match(r"(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2})", commit_timestamp)
         if date_match:
@@ -110,7 +111,9 @@ def fetch_registry_version_date(connector_name: str, version: str) -> str | None
             docker_repo = connector.get("dockerRepository", "")
             if docker_repo == f"airbyte/{connector_name}":
                 if connector.get("dockerImageTag") == version:
-                    current_version_date = registry_entry_commit_date(connector)
+                    current_version_date = connector.get(
+                        "releaseDate"
+                    ) or registry_entry_commit_date(connector)
                     if current_version_date:
                         return current_version_date
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_mcp_connector_registry.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_mcp_connector_registry.py
index ea66dd356..4ffc0977e 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_mcp_connector_registry.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_mcp_connector_registry.py
@@ -715,6 +715,44 @@ def test_fetch_registry_version_date_uses_current_version_commit_timestamp() ->
         assert fetch_registry_version_date("source-faker", "7.2.1") == "2026-07-10"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "generated",
+    [
+        pytest.param(None, id="null_generated"),
+        pytest.param({"git": None}, id="null_git"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_registry_entry_commit_date_tolerates_null_generated_metadata(
+    generated: object,
+) -> None:
+    """JSON null `generated`/`generated.git` values are treated as missing."""
+    from airbyte._registry_utils import registry_entry_commit_date
+
+    assert registry_entry_commit_date({"generated": generated}) is None
+
+
+def test_registry_entry_release_date_none_with_null_generated() -> None:
+    """An entry with `generated=None` and no `releaseDate` converts without raising."""
+    from airbyte.registry import _registry_entry_to_connector_metadata
+
+    metadata = _registry_entry_to_connector_metadata(_registry_entry(generated=None))
+
+    assert metadata.release_date is None
+
+
+def test_fetch_registry_version_date_prefers_release_date_for_current_version() -> None:
+    """An explicit `releaseDate` wins over the current version's commit timestamp."""
+    from airbyte._registry_utils import fetch_registry_version_date
+
+    entry = _registry_entry(
+        releaseDate="2026-07-12",
+        generated={"git": {"commit_timestamp": "2026-07-10T14:26:59Z"}},
+    )
+    with patch("airbyte._registry_utils.requests.get") as mock_get:
+        mock_get.return_value = _mock_registry_response(entry)
+        assert fetch_registry_version_date("source-faker", "7.2.1") == "2026-07-12"
+
+
 def test_fetch_registry_version_date_reads_release_candidates() -> None:
     """Non-current versions still resolve through `releases.releaseCandidates`."""
     from airbyte._registry_utils import fetch_registry_version_date