diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index 9817824b8..865d4fec8 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from registrar.models.federal_agency import FederalAgency
 from registrar.models.utility.generic_helper import CreateOrUpdateOrganizationTypeHelper
 from registrar.utility.errors import FSMDomainRequestError, FSMErrorCodes
 from registrar.utility.constants import BranchChoices
+from auditlog.models import LogEntry
 
 from .utility.time_stamped_model import TimeStampedModel
 from ..utility.email import send_templated_email, EmailSendingError
@@ -589,11 +590,23 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         verbose_name="last updated on",
         help_text="Date of the last status update",
     )
+
     notes = models.TextField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
     )
 
+    def get_first_status_set_date(self, status):
+        """Returns the date when the domain request was first set to the given status."""
+        log_entry = LogEntry.objects.filter(
+            content_type__model="domainrequest", object_pk=self.pk, changes__status__1=status
+        ).order_by("-timestamp").first()
+        return log_entry.timestamp.date() if log_entry else None
+
+    def get_first_status_started_date(self):
+        """Returns the date when the domain request was put into the status "started" for the first time"""
+        return self.get_first_status_set_date(DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus.STARTED)
+
     @classmethod
     def get_statuses_that_send_emails(cls):
         """Returns a list of statuses that send an email to the user"""
diff --git a/src/registrar/templates/domain_request_status.html b/src/registrar/templates/domain_request_status.html
index f5519b6be..f5119e1af 100644
--- a/src/registrar/templates/domain_request_status.html
+++ b/src/registrar/templates/domain_request_status.html
@@ -34,8 +34,15 @@
         Back to manage your domains
       </p>
     </a>
-    {% comment %} {% endif %}{% endcomment %}
+
+    {% if DomainRequest.requested_domain %}
     <h1>Domain request for {{ DomainRequest.requested_domain.name }}</h1>
+    {% elif DomainRequest.status == DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus.STARTED %}
+    <h1>New domain request</h1>
+    {% else %}
+    {% comment %} Question: What do we do in this case???? {% endcomment %}
+    <h1>Domain request for [UNKNOWN]</h1>
+    {% endif %}
     <div
         class="usa-summary-box dotgov-status-box margin-top-3 padding-left-2" 
         role="region"
@@ -60,16 +67,23 @@
       </p>
     {% endif %}
 
-    {% with statuses=DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus last_submitted=DomainRequest.last_submitted_date|date:"F j, Y" first_submitted=DomainRequest.first_submitted_date|date:"F j, Y" %}
+    {% with statuses=DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus last_submitted=DomainRequest.last_submitted_date|date:"F j, Y" first_submitted=DomainRequest.first_submitted_date|date:"F j, Y" last_status_update=DomainRequest.last_status_update|date:"F j, Y" %}
     {% comment %} 
     These are intentionally seperated this way. 
     There is some code repetition, but it gives us more flexibility rather than a dense reduction. 
     Leave it this way until we've solidified our requirements.
     {% endcomment %}
     {% if DomainRequest.status == statuses.STARTED %}
+      {% with first_started_date=DomainRequest.get_first_status_started_date|date:"F j, Y" %}
       <p class="margin-top-1">
-        <b class="review__step__name">Started on:</b> {{DomainRequest.last_status_update|date:"F j, Y"}}
+        {% comment %} 
+        A newly created domain request will not have a value for last_status update.
+        This is because the status never really updated. 
+        However, if this somehow goes back to started we can default to displaying that new date.
+        {% endcomment %}
+        <b class="review__step__name">Started on:</b> {{last_status_update|default:first_started_date}}
       </p>
+      {% endwith %}
     {% elif DomainRequest.status == statuses.SUBMITTED %}
       <p class="margin-top-1 margin-bottom-1">
         <b class="review__step__name">Submitted on:</b> {{last_submitted|default:first_submitted }}
@@ -89,14 +103,14 @@
         <b class="review__step__name">Submitted on:</b> {{last_submitted|default:first_submitted }}
       </p>
       <p class="margin-top-1">
-        <b class="review__step__name">Rejected on:</b> {{DomainRequest.last_status_update|date:"F j, Y"}}
+        <b class="review__step__name">Rejected on:</b> {{last_status_update}}
       </p>
     {% elif DomainRequest.status == statuses.WITHDRAWN %}
       <p class="margin-top-1 margin-bottom-1">
         <b class="review__step__name">Submitted on:</b> {{last_submitted|default:first_submitted }}
       </p>
       <p class="margin-top-1">
-        <b class="review__step__name">Withdrawn on:</b> {{DomainRequest.last_status_update|date:"F j, Y"}}
+        <b class="review__step__name">Withdrawn on:</b> {{last_status_update}}
       </p>
     {% else %}
       {% comment %} Shown for in_review, approved, ineligible {% endcomment %}