diff --git a/plugins/catalog/src/api/types.ts b/plugins/catalog/src/api/types.ts
index 8ed5748e7c..4097b76098 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog/src/api/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog/src/api/types.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ export type EntityMeta = {
    */
   name: string;
 
+  /**
+   * The short description of the entity.
+   *
+   * A a human readable string.
+   */
+  description: string;
+
   /**
    * The namespace that the entity belongs to.
    */
diff --git a/plugins/catalog/src/data/utils.ts b/plugins/catalog/src/data/utils.ts
index b30ac61d9e..39a84cfbca 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog/src/data/utils.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog/src/data/utils.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ export function envelopeToComponent(envelope: DescriptorEnvelope): Component {
   return {
     name: envelope.metadata?.name ?? '',
     kind: envelope.kind ?? 'unknown',
-    description: 'placeholder',
+    description: envelope.metadata?.description ?? 'placeholder',
   };
 }