diff --git a/_includes/footer.liquid b/_includes/footer.liquid
index 855d2db42..f325beeec 100644
--- a/_includes/footer.liquid
+++ b/_includes/footer.liquid
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <footer class='site-footer py-3 mt-auto'>
   <p class='text-center text-body-tertiary my-0'>
-    &copy; {{ site.time | date: '%Y' }} The OpenINF Authors &amp; Friends
+    &copy; {{ buildTime | date: '%Y' }} The OpenINF Authors &amp; Friends
   </p>
 </footer>
 
diff --git a/eleventy.config.mjs b/eleventy.config.mjs
index 318af5b43..8c0057c55 100644
--- a/eleventy.config.mjs
+++ b/eleventy.config.mjs
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ export default async function (eleventyConfig) {
     'Aggregate, curate, disseminate, and apply information derived from diverse sources.'
   );
   eleventyConfig.addGlobalData('siteUrl', 'https://open.inf.is');
+  // What Jekyll called `site.time`: the moment the site was generated. The
+  // footer still asks for it through a `date` filter, so this is the instant
+  // rather than a formatted year, and anything else wanting a build date can
+  // format it its own way.
+  eleventyConfig.addGlobalData('buildTime', () => new Date());
   eleventyConfig.addGlobalData(
     'env',
     process.env.ELEVENTY_ENV || 'development'