diff --git a/circ/returns.pl b/circ/returns.pl
index 84ecf0e31c..004fc507d1 100755
--- a/circ/returns.pl
+++ b/circ/returns.pl
@@ -192,8 +192,11 @@ my $return_date_override_remember =
   $query->param('return_date_override_remember');
 if ($return_date_override) {
     if ( C4::Context->preference('SpecifyReturnDate') ) {
+        # FIXME we really need to stop adding more uses of C4::Dates
         if ( $return_date_override =~ C4::Dates->regexp('syspref') ) {
 
+            # note that we've overriden the return date
+            $template->param( return_date_was_overriden => 1);
             # Save the original format if we are remembering for this series
             $template->param(
                 return_date_override          => $return_date_override,
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/circ/returns.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/circ/returns.tt
index 895894cb9f..1fa1e1477b 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/circ/returns.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/circ/returns.tt
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
 [% END %]
 
 <!-- Patron is restricted and checkin was backdated -->
-[% IF return_date_override && Borrowers.IsDebarred( borrower ) %]
+[% IF return_date_was_overriden && Borrowers.IsDebarred( borrower ) %]
     <div id="restricted_backdated" class="dialog message">
         <h3>
             <a href="/cgi-bin/koha/members/moremember.pl?borrowernumber=[% borrower.borrowernumber %]">