diff --git a/packages/techdocs-container/techdocs-core/setup.py b/packages/techdocs-container/techdocs-core/setup.py
index e5a8206150..00e49dd366 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-container/techdocs-core/setup.py
+++ b/packages/techdocs-container/techdocs-core/setup.py
@@ -14,13 +14,19 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 """
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
+from os import path
 
+# read the contents of the README file in the current directory
+this_dir = path.abspath(path.dirname(__file__))
+with open(path.join(this_dir, "README.md"), encoding="utf-8") as file:
+    long_description = file.read()
 
 setup(
     name="mkdocs-techdocs-core",
     version="0.0.8",
     description="A Mkdocs package that contains TechDocs defaults",
-    long_description="",
+    long_description=long_description,
+    long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
     keywords="mkdocs",
     url="https://github.com/spotify/backstage",
     author="TechDocs Core",