diff --git a/hc/api/tests/test_update_check.py b/hc/api/tests/test_update_check.py
index 40004e45..c6d78cc3 100644
--- a/hc/api/tests/test_update_check.py
+++ b/hc/api/tests/test_update_check.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class UpdateCheckTestCase(BaseTestCase):
                 "api_key": "X" * 32,
                 "name": "Foo",
                 "tags": "bar,baz",
+                "desc": "My description",
                 "timeout": 3600,
                 "grace": 60,
             },
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ class UpdateCheckTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         assert "ping_url" in doc
         self.assertEqual(doc["name"], "Foo")
         self.assertEqual(doc["tags"], "bar,baz")
+        self.assertEqual(doc["desc"], "My description")
         self.assertEqual(doc["last_ping"], None)
         self.assertEqual(doc["n_pings"], 0)
 
diff --git a/hc/api/views.py b/hc/api/views.py
index 6a9b2cbb..2e7a9830 100644
--- a/hc/api/views.py
+++ b/hc/api/views.py
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ def _update(check, spec):
     if "tags" in spec:
         check.tags = spec["tags"]
 
+    if "desc" in spec:
+        check.desc = spec["desc"]
+
     if "timeout" in spec and "schedule" not in spec:
         check.kind = "simple"
         check.timeout = td(seconds=spec["timeout"])
diff --git a/templates/front/docs_api.html b/templates/front/docs_api.html
index c2db1f80..bb147283 100644
--- a/templates/front/docs_api.html
+++ b/templates/front/docs_api.html
@@ -186,6 +186,13 @@ To create a "cron" check, specify the "schedule" and "tz" parameters.
             <pre>{"tags": "reports staging"}</pre>
         </td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <th>desc</th>
+        <td>
+            <p>string, optional.</p>
+            <p>Description for the check.</p>
+        </td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <th>timeout</th>
         <td>
@@ -328,6 +335,13 @@ To create a "cron" check, specify the "schedule" and "tz" parameters.
             <pre>{"tags": "reports staging"}</pre>
         </td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <th>desc</th>
+        <td>
+            <p>string, optional.</p>
+            <p>Description for the check.</p>
+        </td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <th>timeout</th>
         <td>