diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AwardEditor.tsx b/frontend/src/components/AwardEditor.tsx
index 4cdad24..a7a44ef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AwardEditor.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AwardEditor.tsx
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ function Chips({ all, value, onToggle }: { all: string[]; value: string[]; onTog
   );
 }
 
+// Awards use a far-future date as "no end" (RDA carries 9999-12-31). Printing it
+// back at the operator reads like a real deadline, so show it as open-ended.
+function openEnded(d?: string): string {
+  if (!d) return '—';
+  return /^9\d{3}-/.test(d) ? '—' : d;
+}
+
 function Field2({ label, children }: { label: string; children: React.ReactNode }) {
   return (
     <div className="grid grid-cols-[120px_1fr] items-center gap-2">
@@ -1064,19 +1071,17 @@ function ReferencesPanel({ code, presets, meta, awardValidFrom, awardValidTo, on
                   Left empty the award's own dates govern, which is why they show
                   as the placeholder: the operator can see what "empty" inherits
                   instead of having to remember. */}
-              <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
-                <Field2 label={t('awed.refValidFrom')}>
-                  <Input type="date" className="h-8" value={sel.valid_from ?? ''}
-                    onChange={(e) => patchSel({ valid_from: e.target.value })} />
-                </Field2>
-                <Field2 label={t('awed.refValidTo')}>
-                  <Input type="date" className="h-8" value={sel.valid_to ?? ''}
-                    onChange={(e) => patchSel({ valid_to: e.target.value })} />
-                </Field2>
-              </div>
+              <Field2 label={t('awed.refValidFrom')}>
+                <Input type="date" className="h-8 w-44" value={sel.valid_from ?? ''}
+                  onChange={(e) => patchSel({ valid_from: e.target.value })} />
+              </Field2>
+              <Field2 label={t('awed.refValidTo')}>
+                <Input type="date" className="h-8 w-44" value={sel.valid_to ?? ''}
+                  onChange={(e) => patchSel({ valid_to: e.target.value })} />
+              </Field2>
               <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                 {(awardValidFrom || awardValidTo)
-                  ? t('awed.refValidHintAward', { from: awardValidFrom || '—', to: awardValidTo || '—' })
+                  ? t('awed.refValidHintAward', { from: openEnded(awardValidFrom), to: openEnded(awardValidTo) })
                   : t('awed.refValidHint')}
               </p>
               <div className="flex justify-end pt-1"><Button size="sm" className="h-7" onClick={() => sel && saveRef(sel)}><Save className="size-3.5 mr-1" /> {t('awed.saveReference')}</Button></div>
diff --git a/internal/award/refvalidity_test.go b/internal/award/refvalidity_test.go
index ae6dcdc..7178cfe 100644
--- a/internal/award/refvalidity_test.go
+++ b/internal/award/refvalidity_test.go
@@ -76,3 +76,34 @@ func TestExpiredRefStopsCountingForLaterQSOs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("a reference with no window is unaffected: got %v", got)
 	}
 }
+
+// The claim that an empty per-reference window "inherits the award's" has to be
+// a fact about the code, not a comment. Compute and MatchQSO both gate on
+// inScope, which enforces the award's own dates — so a reference with no window
+// of its own is already bounded by them, and duplicating the check per reference
+// would only create a second place for the same dates to disagree.
+func TestEmptyRefWindowInheritsTheAward(t *testing.T) {
+	d := Def{
+		Code: "RDA", Name: "Russian District Award", Valid: true,
+		Type: TypeQSOFields, Field: "note", MatchBy: "code",
+		Confirm:   []string{"lotw"},
+		ValidFrom: "1991-06-12", // the award itself starts here
+	}
+	metas := []RefMeta{{Code: "KL-04", Name: "Kostomuksha", Valid: true}} // no window of its own
+
+	q := func(on string) *qso.QSO {
+		return &qso.QSO{Callsign: "RA1ABC", Band: "20m", Notes: "KL-04", QSODate: day(on)}
+	}
+	if got := MatchQSO(d, metas, q("1991-06-11")); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a QSO before the AWARD's start counted for a reference with no window of its own: %v", got)
+	}
+	if got := MatchQSO(d, metas, q("1991-06-12")); len(got) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("a QSO on the award's first day must count: %v", got)
+	}
+
+	// And a reference window NARROWER than the award's still applies on top.
+	metas[0].ValidTo = "2025-08-31"
+	if got := MatchQSO(d, metas, q("2025-09-01")); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("the reference's own end date was ignored: %v", got)
+	}
+}