diff --git a/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.js b/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.js
index db807a5..3f375c1 100755
--- a/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.js
+++ b/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export const initialState = {
     selectedTimeEntity: undefined,
 
     currentAvailableTimeRange: undefined,
+    populatedDates: undefined,
     currentData: undefined,
     // the index in the array of currently available dates
     currentStartDate: undefined,
@@ -144,6 +145,9 @@ const SessionSlice = createSlice({
         setCurrentAvailableTimeRange: (state, action) => {
             state.currentAvailableTimeRange = action?.payload
         },
+        setPopulatedDates: (state, action) => {
+            state.populatedDates = action?.payload
+        },
         // args: currentData - the data for the currently selected time unit in the bottom slider
         setCurrentData: (state, action) => {
             state.currentData = action?.payload
@@ -214,6 +218,7 @@ export const {
     setSelectedTimeEntity,
 
     setCurrentAvailableTimeRange,
+    setPopulatedDates,
     setCurrentData,
     setCurrentStartDate,
     setCurrentEndDate,
diff --git a/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.selectors.js b/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.selectors.js
index 1ff7ffa..28940c0 100644
--- a/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.selectors.js
+++ b/src/components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.selectors.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const selectCurrentTemporalResolution = state => state.session.currentTemporalRe
 const selectSelectedTimeRangeForCurrentData = state => state.session.selectedTimeRangeForCurrentData
 const selectSelectedTimeEntity = state => state.session.selectedTimeEntity
 const selectCurrentAvailableTimeRange = state => state.session.currentAvailableTimeRange
+const selectPopulatedDates = state => state.session.populatedDates
 const selectCurrentData = state => state.session.currentData
 const selectCurrentStartDate = state => state.session.currentStartDate
 const selectCurrentEndDate = state => state.session.currentEndDate
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ const session = {
     selectSpatialResolutionsForCurrentCategory,
     selectTemporalResolutionsForCurrentCategory,
     selectCurrentAvailableTimeRange,
+    selectPopulatedDates,
     selectCurrentData,
 
     selectCurrentBoundaries,
diff --git a/src/pages/Dashboard/Dashboard.js b/src/pages/Dashboard/Dashboard.js
index 33e2063..c73f008 100644
--- a/src/pages/Dashboard/Dashboard.js
+++ b/src/pages/Dashboard/Dashboard.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import {
     setCurrentMaxValue,
     setRedrawKey,
     setCurrentAvailableTimeRange,
+    setPopulatedDates,
     setModal
 } from "../../components/SessionArea/sessionSlice"
 import session from "../../components/SessionArea/sessionSlice.selectors"
@@ -415,6 +416,7 @@ const Dashboard = () => {
             }
             const availableTimeRange = response.all_dates
             dispatch(setCurrentAvailableTimeRange(availableTimeRange))
+            dispatch(setPopulatedDates(response.populated_dates || response.all_dates))
             console.debug("Available time range: ", availableTimeRange)
 
             // set the selected time range to the first x as defined by the temporal resolution config
diff --git a/src/pages/Dashboard/components/CurrentTimeUnitSlider/CurrentTimeUnitSlider.js b/src/pages/Dashboard/components/CurrentTimeUnitSlider/CurrentTimeUnitSlider.js
index dedff5c..0b3e983 100755
--- a/src/pages/Dashboard/components/CurrentTimeUnitSlider/CurrentTimeUnitSlider.js
+++ b/src/pages/Dashboard/components/CurrentTimeUnitSlider/CurrentTimeUnitSlider.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public License, v. 2.0.
 // If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file, You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
-import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react"
+import React, { useState, useEffect, useMemo } from "react"
 import { DateTime } from "luxon"
 import { useSelector, useDispatch } from "react-redux"
 import styles from "./CurrentTimeUnitSlider.module.css"
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ const CurrentTimeUnitSlider = () => {
     const currentIndicator = useSelector(session.selectCurrentIndicator)
     const currentSpatialResolution = useSelector(session.selectCurrentSpatialResolution)
     const currentTemporalResolution = useSelector(session.selectCurrentTemporalResolution)
+    const populatedDates = useSelector(session.selectPopulatedDates)
+    const populatedDatesSet = useMemo(() => populatedDates ? new Set(populatedDates) : null, [populatedDates])
 
     // local state
     const [previouslySelectedTimeRangeForCurrentData, setPreviouslySelectedTimeRangeForCurrentData] =
@@ -168,8 +170,36 @@ const CurrentTimeUnitSlider = () => {
                     min={selectedTimeRangeForCurrentData[0]}
                     max={selectedTimeRangeForCurrentData[1]}
                     onChange={values => {
-                        setPreviouslySelectedTimeEntity(selectedTimeEntity)
-                        dispatch(setSelectedTimeEntity(values))
+                        const newIndex = values[0]
+                        const prevIndex = Array.isArray(selectedTimeEntity) ? selectedTimeEntity[0] : selectedTimeEntity
+                        const newDate = currentAvailableTimeRange[newIndex]
+
+                        if (!populatedDatesSet || populatedDatesSet.has(newDate)) {
+                            setPreviouslySelectedTimeEntity(selectedTimeEntity)
+                            dispatch(setSelectedTimeEntity(values))
+                            return
+                        }
+
+                        // Snap to nearest populated date in the direction of travel
+                        const movingRight = newIndex > prevIndex
+                        const [rangeMin, rangeMax] = selectedTimeRangeForCurrentData
+                        if (movingRight) {
+                            for (let i = newIndex + 1; i <= rangeMax; i++) {
+                                if (populatedDatesSet.has(currentAvailableTimeRange[i])) {
+                                    setPreviouslySelectedTimeEntity(selectedTimeEntity)
+                                    dispatch(setSelectedTimeEntity([i]))
+                                    return
+                                }
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            for (let i = newIndex - 1; i >= rangeMin; i--) {
+                                if (populatedDatesSet.has(currentAvailableTimeRange[i])) {
+                                    setPreviouslySelectedTimeEntity(selectedTimeEntity)
+                                    dispatch(setSelectedTimeEntity([i]))
+                                    return
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
                     }}
                     labels={labels}
                     isRange={false}