diff --git a/blag b/blag
index 4f18101..c922afe 100755
--- a/blag
+++ b/blag
@@ -90,11 +90,14 @@ render() {(
 	path=$1
 	shift
 	
-	birth=$(stat -c'%W' "$path")
-	if (( birth > 0 )); then
-		CREATED_AT=$(date --rfc-3339=seconds -d "@$birth")
+	if (( ! DATES_CALCULATED )); then
+		birth=$(stat -c'%W' "$path")
+		if (( birth > 0 )); then
+			CREATED_AT=$(date --rfc-3339=seconds -d "@$birth")
+		fi
+		MODIFIED_AT=$(date --rfc-3339=seconds -d "@$(stat -c '%Y' "$path")")
+		DATES_CALCULATED=1
 	fi
-	MODIFIED_AT=$(date --rfc-3339=seconds -d "@$(stat -c '%Y' "$path")")
 
 	#shellcheck disable=SC1090
 	. "$path" "$@"