diff --git a/app/views/deliverables/_form.html.erb b/app/views/deliverables/_form.html.erb
index 5d1cccc..548aa75 100644
--- a/app/views/deliverables/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/deliverables/_form.html.erb
@@ -32,10 +32,14 @@
 <% end %>
 
 <% if resource.retainer? && resource.respond_to?(:months) %>
+<% if resource.months.present? %>
 <% resource.months.each do |month| %>
 <%= render :partial => 'finance_form', :locals => {:form => form, :labor_budgets => resource.labor_budgets_for_date(month), :overhead_budgets => resource.overhead_budgets_for_date(month), :label => l(:text_deliverable_finances_date, :date => month.strftime("%B, %Y")), :fieldset_class => 'date-' + month.strftime('%Y-%m') } %>
 <% end %>
 <% else %>
+<%= content_tag(:p, l(:text_missing_period), :class => 'nodata') %>
+<% end %>
+<% else %>
 <%= render :partial => 'finance_form', :locals => {:form => form, :labor_budgets => resource.labor_budgets, :overhead_budgets => resource.overhead_budgets, :label => l(:text_deliverable_finances), :fieldset_class => '' } %>
 <% end %>
 
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index a781236..aa9b3f6 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -66,3 +66,4 @@ en:
   text_quarterly: "Quarterly"
   text_start_date_empty: "The start date is empty. If this form is submitted, no budget items will be created."
   text_end_date_empty: "The end date is empty. If this form is submitted, no budget items will be created."
+  text_missing_period: "This deliverable is missing a date range so it cannot have budget items. Please save start and end dates before adding any budget items."