diff --git a/includes/class-post-date.php b/includes/class-post-date.php
index f067cd6b46..7663c2c9a2 100644
--- a/includes/class-post-date.php
+++ b/includes/class-post-date.php
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ public static function init() {
 		add_filter( 'newspack_blocks_formatted_displayed_post_date', [ __CLASS__, 'filter_blocks_formatted_date' ], 10, 2 );
 		add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', [ __CLASS__, 'enqueue_scripts' ] );
 		add_action( 'enqueue_block_editor_assets', [ __CLASS__, 'enqueue_editor_assets' ] );
-		add_action( 'newspack_theme_after_posted_on', [ __CLASS__, 'render_updated_date_classic' ] );
+		add_action( 'newspack_theme_posted_on', [ __CLASS__, 'render_updated_date_classic' ] );
+		add_filter( 'body_class', [ __CLASS__, 'add_body_show_updated' ] );
+		add_filter( 'newspack_theme_include_hidden_updated_time', [ __CLASS__, 'suppress_theme_hidden_updated_time' ] );
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -257,6 +259,12 @@ public static function filter_get_the_date( $the_date, $format, $post ) {
 			return $the_date;
 		}
 
+		// Only convert dates in the loop to avoid affecting archive titles
+		// (e.g. "Daily Archives: 2 days ago") and other contexts.
+		if ( ! in_the_loop() ) {
+			return $the_date;
+		}
+
 		$time_ago = self::convert_to_time_ago( $post->post_date_gmt, self::get_time_ago_cutoff_days() );
 
 		return null !== $time_ago ? $time_ago : $the_date;
@@ -281,7 +289,7 @@ public static function filter_blocks_formatted_date( $date, $post ) {
 
 	/**
 	 * Render updated date for classic (non-block) themes.
-	 * Hooked to `newspack_theme_after_posted_on` which fires after `newspack_posted_on()`.
+	 * Hooked to `newspack_theme_posted_on` which fires inside `newspack_posted_on()`.
 	 */
 	public static function render_updated_date_classic() {
 		if ( wp_is_block_theme() || ! is_singular() ) {
@@ -306,16 +314,46 @@ public static function render_updated_date_classic() {
 			}
 		}
 
-		/* translators: %s: Modified date. */
-		$label = sprintf( esc_html__( 'Updated %s', 'newspack-plugin' ), $modified_date );
-
 		printf(
-			'<span class="posted-on updated-date" data-newspack-modified><time class="entry-date updated" datetime="%1$s">%2$s</time></span>',
+			'<span class="updated-label">%1$s </span><time class="updated" datetime="%2$s">%3$s</time>',
+			esc_html__( 'Updated', 'newspack-plugin' ),
 			esc_attr( get_the_modified_date( DATE_W3C, $post ) ),
-			wp_kses_post( $label )
+			esc_html( $modified_date )
 		);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Add 'show-updated' body class when the updated date should display on classic themes.
+	 *
+	 * @param string[] $classes Body CSS classes.
+	 * @return string[]
+	 */
+	public static function add_body_show_updated( $classes ) {
+		if ( wp_is_block_theme() || ! is_singular() ) {
+			return $classes;
+		}
+		if ( self::should_display_updated_date() ) {
+			$classes[] = 'show-updated';
+		}
+		return $classes;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Suppress the theme's hidden <time class="updated"> when the plugin handles it.
+	 *
+	 * @param bool $include Whether to include the hidden updated time.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public static function suppress_theme_hidden_updated_time( $include ) {
+		if ( wp_is_block_theme() || ! is_singular() ) {
+			return $include;
+		}
+		if ( self::should_display_updated_date() ) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		return $include;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Register per-post meta for updated date toggles.
 	 */
@@ -382,17 +420,9 @@ public static function migrate_date_settings( $old_name, $old_theme ) {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Enqueue relative-time script and updated date styles on frontend.
+	 * Enqueue relative-time script on frontend.
 	 */
 	public static function enqueue_scripts() {
-		// Inline styles for the classic theme updated date.
-		// Always enqueue on classic themes since per-post overrides can show the date even when sitewide is off.
-		if ( ! wp_is_block_theme() ) {
-			wp_register_style( 'newspack-post-date', false, [], NEWSPACK_PLUGIN_VERSION );
-			wp_enqueue_style( 'newspack-post-date' );
-			wp_add_inline_style( 'newspack-post-date', '.entry-meta .updated-date { margin-inline-start: 1em; }' );
-		}
-
 		if ( ! get_theme_mod( 'post_time_ago', false ) ) {
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/src/other-scripts/relative-time/index.js b/src/other-scripts/relative-time/index.js
index 1c93955d94..ee7259a405 100644
--- a/src/other-scripts/relative-time/index.js
+++ b/src/other-scripts/relative-time/index.js
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@
 			return; // No Intl support.
 		}
 
-		const elements = document.querySelectorAll( '.wp-block-post-date time[datetime], time.entry-date[datetime], .comment-meta time[datetime]' );
+		const elements = document.querySelectorAll(
+			'.wp-block-post-date time[datetime], time.entry-date[datetime], time.updated[datetime], .comment-meta time[datetime]'
+		);
 		const now = Date.now();
 
 		elements.forEach( function ( el ) {
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@
 				el.setAttribute( 'title', new Date( datetime ).toLocaleString( localeTag ) );
 			}
 
-			// Only replace text on publish dates, not modified date blocks.
+			// Skip block-theme modified dates (label is inside <time>). Classic-theme ones are fine.
 			if ( el.closest( '[data-newspack-modified]' ) || el.closest( '.wp-block-post-date__modified-date' ) ) {
 				return;
 			}
diff --git a/tests/unit-tests/class-post-date-test.php b/tests/unit-tests/class-post-date-test.php
index 4cbbc693ea..a5447ba205 100644
--- a/tests/unit-tests/class-post-date-test.php
+++ b/tests/unit-tests/class-post-date-test.php
@@ -157,8 +157,34 @@ public function test_get_the_date_filter_enabled() {
 			]
 		);
 
+		// Simulate being in the loop so the filter applies.
+		$original_in_the_loop = $GLOBALS['wp_query']->in_the_loop ?? null;
+
+		try {
+			$GLOBALS['wp_query']->in_the_loop = true;
+
+			$date = get_the_date( '', $post_id );
+			$this->assertStringContainsString( 'ago', $date, 'get_the_date should return relative date when feature is on.' );
+		} finally {
+			$GLOBALS['wp_query']->in_the_loop = $original_in_the_loop;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test get_the_date filter skips conversion outside the loop (e.g. archive titles).
+	 */
+	public function test_get_the_date_filter_skips_outside_loop() {
+		set_theme_mod( 'post_time_ago', true );
+		set_theme_mod( 'post_time_ago_cut_off', 14 );
+
+		$post_id = static::factory()->post->create(
+			[
+				'post_date' => gmdate( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', time() - 2 * HOUR_IN_SECONDS ),
+			]
+		);
+
 		$date = get_the_date( '', $post_id );
-		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'ago', $date, 'get_the_date should return relative date when feature is on.' );
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( 'ago', $date, 'get_the_date should not convert to time-ago outside the loop.' );
 	}
 
 	/**