diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4f0cc3a0..022ef0df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ To generate the thumbnails for logos and tag photos, run:
 * `--actors "[name]" "[name]"`: Fetch actor profiles. When no names are specified, actors without existing profiles are scraped
 * `--actors-file [filepath]`: Fetch all scenes for the actors specified in a file using a newline delimiter.
 * `--actors-sources [slug] [slug]`: Scrapers to use for actor profiles. Defaults to config.
-* `--actors-update [time]`: Update actors that don't have any profiles newer than period ("1 month") or date (2020-08-01).
+* `--actors-update [time]`: Update actors that don't have any profiles newer than period ("1 month") or date (2020-08-01). Using this argument without a value will default to 1900-01-01, practically updating all actors.
 * `--actors-scenes`: Fetch all scenes for scraped actors. Use with caution, as an actor may have many scenes.
 * `--scene-actors`: Fetch profiles for actors associated with scraped scenes. Use with caution, as scenes may have many actors, each with many profiles.
 
diff --git a/src/argv.js b/src/argv.js
index 0faff2f1..ab533f1f 100644
--- a/src/argv.js
+++ b/src/argv.js
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ const yargs = require('yargs');
 const moment = require('moment');
 
 function interpretAfter(after) {
+	if (!after) {
+		return new Date(0, 0, 0);
+	}
+
 	if (/\d{2,4}-\d{2}-\d{2,4}/.test(after)) {
 		// using date
 		return moment