diff -uprN publication_date_original/publication_date.module publication_date/publication_date.module
--- publication_date_original/publication_date.module	2011-02-24 22:11:31.000000000 -0300
+++ publication_date/publication_date.module	2012-05-29 11:29:56.000000000 -0300
@@ -18,13 +18,10 @@ function publication_date_nodeapi(&$node
     case 'load':
       $node->published_at = _publication_date_get_date($node->nid);
 
-      // we have to manage the 'old nodes', i.e nodes that have been published BEFORE the activation
-      // of this module.
+      // We have to manage the 'old nodes', i.e, nodes that have been created 
+      // (published or not) BEFORE the activation of this module.
       if (!$node->published_at) {
-        $row = db_fetch_array(db_query("SELECT created, status FROM {node} WHERE nid = %d", $node->nid));
-        if ($row && $row['status'] == 1) {
-          $node->published_at = $row['created'];
-        }
+        $node->published_at = $node->created;
       }
       break;
     case 'insert':