diff --git a/app/models/dispute.rb b/app/models/dispute.rb
index a21ef28f7..031e15855 100644
--- a/app/models/dispute.rb
+++ b/app/models/dispute.rb
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@ class Dispute < ApplicationRecord
   before_validation :set_expiry_date
   validate :validate_domain_name_format
   validate :validate_domain_name_period_uniqueness
-
-  with_options on: :admin do
-    validate :validate_start_date
-  end
+  validate :validate_start_date
 
   before_save :set_expiry_date
   before_save :sync_reserved_password
@@ -112,7 +109,7 @@ class Dispute < ApplicationRecord
   def validate_start_date
     return if starts_at.nil?
 
-    errors.add(:starts_at, :past) if starts_at.past?
+    errors.add(:starts_at, :future) if starts_at.future?
   end
 
   def validate_domain_name_format
diff --git a/app/views/admin/disputes/_form.html.erb b/app/views/admin/disputes/_form.html.erb
index df2151c6c..2a3fb722f 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/disputes/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/disputes/_form.html.erb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
                         </div>
                         <div class="col-md-7">
                             <%= f.text_field(:starts_at, class: 'form-control js-datepicker') %>
-                            <span class="help-block"><%= t '.in_future' %></span>
+                            <span class="help-block"><%= t '.past_or_today' %></span>
                         </div>
                     </div>
                     <div class="form-group">
diff --git a/config/locales/admin/disputes.en.yml b/config/locales/admin/disputes.en.yml
index ba5b79099..072f0eebc 100644
--- a/config/locales/admin/disputes.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/admin/disputes.en.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 en:
+  activerecord:
+    errors:
+      models:
+        dispute:
+          attributes:
+            starts_at:
+              future: 'can not be greater than today'
   admin:
     disputes:
       index:
@@ -9,4 +16,4 @@ en:
       form:
         password_hint: Generated automatically if left blank
         optional: Not required by default
-        in_future: Must be at least today / in future
+        past_or_today: Can not be greater than today's date