diff --git a/opal/models.py b/opal/models.py
index 863c8b90f..ee0290130 100644
--- a/opal/models.py
+++ b/opal/models.py
@@ -118,13 +118,13 @@ def _get_field_title(cls, name):
             else:
                 field_name = field.verbose_name
 
-            if field_name.islower():
-                field_name = field_name.title()
-
         except FieldDoesNotExist:
             # else its foreign key or free text
             field_name = getattr(cls, name).verbose_name
 
+        if field_name.islower():
+            field_name = field_name.title()
+
         return field_name
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/opal/tests/models.py b/opal/tests/models.py
index a51918e1f..479150973 100644
--- a/opal/tests/models.py
+++ b/opal/tests/models.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Dog(lookuplists.LookupList):
 class DogOwner(models.EpisodeSubrecord):
     name = dmodels.CharField(max_length=200)
     dog = fields.ForeignKeyOrFreeText(Dog)
-    ownership_start_date = dmodels.DateField(blank=True, null=True)
+    ownership_start_date = dmodels.DateField(blank=True, null=True, verbose_name="OSD")
 
 
 class HoundOwner(models.EpisodeSubrecord):
diff --git a/opal/tests/test_models.py b/opal/tests/test_models.py
index 6ff4f78d6..344b8ecd4 100644
--- a/opal/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/opal/tests/test_models.py
@@ -362,6 +362,11 @@ def test_verbose_name(self):
         only_words = FamousLastWords._get_field_title("words")
         self.assertEqual(only_words, "Only Words")
 
+    def test_verbose_name_abbreviation(self):
+        # if a word is an abbreviation already, don't title case it!
+        osd = DogOwner._get_field_title("ownership_start_date")
+        self.assertEqual(osd, "OSD")
+
 
 class BulkUpdateFromDictsTest(OpalTestCase):