diff --git a/src/Checks/PlausiForLegalStatus/MDPlausiForLegalStatus.php b/src/Checks/PlausiForLegalStatus/MDPlausiForLegalStatus.php
index 0b8da27..49f9d5c 100644
--- a/src/Checks/PlausiForLegalStatus/MDPlausiForLegalStatus.php
+++ b/src/Checks/PlausiForLegalStatus/MDPlausiForLegalStatus.php
@@ -49,16 +49,17 @@ final class MDPlausiForLegalStatus {
     private function _determineExpectedStatus():string {
 
         $currentYear = (int)date("Y");
+        $deathYearOfLastCreator = (int)date("Y", $this->_death_of_last_creator);
 
-        if (!isset($this->_death_of_last_creator)) {
+        if (!isset($deathYearOfLastCreator)) {
             return 'any';
         }
 
-        if ($currentYear - self::YEARS_AFTER_DEATH_TO_PUBLIC_DOMAIN > $this->_death_of_last_creator) {
+        if ($currentYear - self::YEARS_AFTER_DEATH_TO_PUBLIC_DOMAIN > $deathYearOfLastCreator) {
             return 'pd';
         }
 
-        if ($currentYear - self::YEARS_AFTER_DEATH_TO_PUBLIC_DOMAIN_CERTAIN < $this->_death_of_last_creator) {
+        if ($currentYear - self::YEARS_AFTER_DEATH_TO_PUBLIC_DOMAIN_CERTAIN < $deathYearOfLastCreator) {
             return 'restricted';
         }