diff --git a/lightningd/pay.c b/lightningd/pay.c
index c1f5ccaaf..db93876b7 100644
--- a/lightningd/pay.c
+++ b/lightningd/pay.c
@@ -632,6 +632,7 @@ send_payment(const tal_t *ctx,
 	     const struct sha256 *rhash,
 	     const struct route_hop *route,
 	     u64 msatoshi,
+	     const char *description TAKES,
 	     void (*cb)(const struct sendpay_result *, void*),
 	     void *cbarg)
 {
@@ -792,7 +793,10 @@ send_payment(const tal_t *ctx,
 	payment->path_secrets = tal_steal(payment, path_secrets);
 	payment->route_nodes = tal_steal(payment, ids);
 	payment->route_channels = tal_steal(payment, channels);
-	payment->description = NULL;
+	if (description != NULL)
+		payment->description = tal_strdup(payment, description);
+	else
+		payment->description = NULL;
 
 	/* We write this into db when HTLC is actually sent. */
 	wallet_payment_setup(ld->wallet, payment);
@@ -1021,8 +1025,10 @@ static void json_sendpay(struct command *cmd,
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* FIXME(cdecker): Add a description parameter to sendpay */
 	if (send_payment(cmd, cmd->ld, &rhash, route,
 			 msatoshi ? *msatoshi : route[n_hops-1].amount,
+			 NULL,
 			 &json_sendpay_on_resolve, cmd))
 		command_still_pending(cmd);
 }
diff --git a/lightningd/pay.h b/lightningd/pay.h
index 6895e0a1e..b6203550a 100644
--- a/lightningd/pay.h
+++ b/lightningd/pay.h
@@ -65,8 +65,10 @@ bool send_payment(const tal_t *ctx,
 		  const struct sha256 *rhash,
 		  const struct route_hop *route,
 		  u64 msatoshi,
+		  const char *description TAKES,
 		  void (*cb)(const struct sendpay_result *, void*),
 		  void *cbarg);
+
 /* Wait for a previous send_payment to complete in definite
  * success or failure. If the given context is freed before
  * the callback is called, then the callback will no longer
diff --git a/lightningd/payalgo.c b/lightningd/payalgo.c
index c89ede199..df5dd0a83 100644
--- a/lightningd/payalgo.c
+++ b/lightningd/payalgo.c
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ struct pay {
 	 * is mainly useful for tiny transfers for which the leveraged fee would
 	 * be dominated by the forwarding fee. */
 	u64 exemptfee;
+
+	/* The description from the bolt11 string */
+	const char *description;
 };
 
 static struct routing_failure *
@@ -502,6 +505,7 @@ static void json_pay_getroute_reply(struct subd *gossip UNUSED,
 	send_payment(pay->try_parent,
 		     pay->cmd->ld, &pay->payment_hash, route,
 		     pay->msatoshi,
+		     pay->description,
 		     &json_pay_sendpay_resume, pay);
 }
 
@@ -691,6 +695,7 @@ static void json_pay(struct command *cmd,
 	/* Start with no failures */
 	list_head_init(&pay->pay_failures);
 	pay->in_sendpay = false;
+	pay->description = b11->description;
 
 	/* Initiate payment */
 	if (json_pay_try(pay))