diff --git a/.docker/entrypoint.sh b/.docker/entrypoint.sh
index 77c697aa85..efe404765e 100755
--- a/.docker/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/.docker/entrypoint.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 #! /bin/bash
 
 # print folder contents for debugging
-echo "Contents:"
-echo ""
+printf "\n\nContents:\n\n"
 ls
-echo ""
 
 # run cite process
 python3 _cite/cite.py
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-site.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-site.yaml
index 6aa3e5a489..6194c83b5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-site.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-site.yaml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Set root url
         run: |
-          echo "\n\nurl: ${{ steps.pages.outputs.origin }}" >> _config.yaml
+          printf "\n\nurl: ${{ steps.pages.outputs.origin }}" >> _config.yaml
 
       - name: Build live version of site
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/first-time-setup.yaml b/.github/workflows/first-time-setup.yaml
index 51d3273b0a..415e2842a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/first-time-setup.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/first-time-setup.yaml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
         run: touch .nojekyll
 
       - name: Make placeholder homepage
-        run: echo "Placeholder homepage" > index.html
+        run: printf "Placeholder homepage" > index.html
 
       - name: Commit changes to Pages branch
         uses: stefanzweifel/git-auto-commit-action@v5
@@ -70,12 +70,12 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           user="${{ github.repository_owner }}"
           description="An engaging 1-3 sentence description of your lab."
-          echo "USER=${user}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "DESCRIPTION=${description}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          printf "USER=${user}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          printf "DESCRIPTION=${description}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: Personalize readme for user
         run: |
-          echo "
+          printf "
           # ${{ env.USER }}'s Website
 
           Visit **[website url](#)** 🚀
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d702c3e8e1..fb1f988eed 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 Reference: common-changelog.org
 
+## 1.2.1 - 2024-04-01
+
+### Changed
+
+- Minor bug fixes in cite process and sitemap generation.
+
 ## 1.2.0 - 2024-03-08
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/CITATION.cff b/CITATION.cff
index dcb59dc43f..4b875d4752 100644
--- a/CITATION.cff
+++ b/CITATION.cff
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # citation metadata for the template itself
 
 title: "Lab Website Template"
-version: 1.2.0
-date-released: 2024-03-08
+version: 1.2.1
+date-released: 2024-04-01
 url: "https://github.com/greenelab/lab-website-template"
 authors:
   - family-names: "Rubinetti"
diff --git a/_cite/util.py b/_cite/util.py
index 466a7d56f7..904ff3329b 100644
--- a/_cite/util.py
+++ b/_cite/util.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import yaml
 from yaml.loader import SafeLoader
 from pathlib import Path
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import date, datetime
 from rich import print
 from diskcache import Cache
 
@@ -88,15 +88,17 @@ def list_of_dicts(data):
     return isinstance(data, list) and all(isinstance(entry, dict) for entry in data)
 
 
-def format_date(date):
+def format_date(_date):
     """
     format date as YYYY-MM-DD, or no date if malformed
     """
 
-    if isinstance(date, int):
-        return datetime.fromtimestamp(date // 1000.0).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+    if isinstance(_date, int):
+        return datetime.fromtimestamp(_date // 1000.0).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+    if isinstance(_date, (date, datetime)):
+        return _date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
     try:
-        return datetime.strptime(date, "%Y-%m-%d").strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+        return datetime.strptime(_date, "%Y-%m-%d").strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
     except Exception:
         return ""