diff --git a/src/api/call.js b/src/api/call.js
index 51ba01381..b2b9b132d 100644
--- a/src/api/call.js
+++ b/src/api/call.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import { buildVariableTree, getTreeLeavesInOrder } from "./variables";
 import { wrappedJsonStringify, wrappedResponseJson } from "../data/wrappedJson";
 import { useAuthenticatedFetch } from "../hooks/useAuthenticatedFetch";
 
-const POLICYENGINE_API = "https://api.policyengine.org";
+const POLICYENGINE_API =
+  process.env.REACT_APP_API_URL || "https://api.policyengine.org";
 
 /**
  * returns an api call function that can be used to make requests
diff --git a/src/pages/UserProfilePage.jsx b/src/pages/UserProfilePage.jsx
index 2e132c82d..a7dac7d68 100644
--- a/src/pages/UserProfilePage.jsx
+++ b/src/pages/UserProfilePage.jsx
@@ -318,7 +318,9 @@ function UserProfileSection(props) {
   } else if (dispState === STATES.EMPTY) {
     dispUserSince = "Loading";
   } else {
-    dispUserSince = dateFormatter.format(accessedUserProfile.user_since);
+    dispUserSince = dateFormatter.format(
+      new Date(parseInt(accessedUserProfile.user_since) * 1000),
+    );
   }
 
   let dispCountry = "";