diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 29b6aa6e5..48bfe74ec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ Changed for individual apps are listed in `apps/appname/ChangeLog`
 * If `bin/pre-publish.sh` has been run and recent.csv created, add 'Sort By' chip
 * New 'espruinotools' which fixes pretokenise issue when ID follows ID (fix #416)
 * Improve upload of binary files
+* App description can now be markdown
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 04854c99e..ac4fc716d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ and which gives information about the app for the Launcher.
   "name": "Readable name",    // readable name
   "shortName": "Short name",  // short name for launcher
   "icon": "icon.png",         // icon in apps/
-  "description": "...",       // long description
+  "description": "...",       // long description (can contain markdown)
   "type":"...",               // optional(if app) - 'app'/'widget'/'launch'/'bootloader'
   "tags": "",                 // comma separated tag list for searching
 
diff --git a/js/index.js b/js/index.js
index 34975f3a1..363081a15 100644
--- a/js/index.js
+++ b/js/index.js
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ function showReadme(appid) {
   }
   httpGet(appPath+app.readme).then(show).catch(()=>show("Failed to load README."));
 }
+function getAppDescription(app) {
+  let appPath = `apps/${app.id}/`;
+  let markedOptions = { baseUrl : appPath };
+  return marked(app.description, markedOptions);
+}
 function handleCustomApp(appTemplate) {
   // Pops up an IFRAME that allows an app to be customised
   if (!appTemplate.custom) throw new Error("App doesn't have custom HTML");
@@ -259,7 +264,7 @@ function refreshLibrary() {
     </div>
     <div class="tile-content">
       <p class="tile-title text-bold">${escapeHtml(app.name)} ${versionInfo}</p>
-      <p class="tile-subtitle">${escapeHtml(app.description)}${app.readme?`<br/>${readme}`:""}</p>
+      <p class="tile-subtitle">${getAppDescription(app)}${app.readme?`<br/>${readme}`:""}</p>
       <a href="${url}" target="_blank" class="link-github"><img src="img/github-icon-sml.png" alt="See the code on GitHub"/></a>
     </div>
     <div class="tile-action">
@@ -470,7 +475,7 @@ function refreshMyApps() {
     </div>
     <div class="tile-content">
       <p class="tile-title text-bold">${escapeHtml(app.name)} <small>(${version.text})</small></p>
-      <p class="tile-subtitle">${escapeHtml(app.description)}</p>
+      <p class="tile-subtitle">${getAppDescription(app)}</p>
       <a href="${url}" target="_blank" class="link-github"><img src="img/github-icon-sml.png" alt="See the code on GitHub"/></a>
     </div>
     <div class="tile-action">