A new platform/publisher on first "run now". missing default value for "lastImportDate"

[stjohn9]

When adding a new publisher/platform, on the first go of "run now", the:
usage/admin/classes/domain/SushiService.php
gives an warning on line 235:
"Warning: date_add() expects parameter 1 to be DateTime, boolean given"
235: date_add($lastImportDate, date_interval_create_from_date_string('1 month'));

The problem is related to the $lastImportDate, which is assigned its value by SQL:
233: $lastImportDate = $this->getPublisherOrPlatform->getLastImportDate();

However, as there is no last import date, being it's first run, the query returns NULL. Perhaps there is a default value which can be loaded if the last import date isNull?