diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php b/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php
index 40fb781c011f..675622059d6a 100755
--- a/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@ public function __construct()
         // Once we have constructed the command, we'll set the description and other
         // related properties of the command. If a signature wasn't used to build
         // the command we'll set the arguments and the options on this command.
-        $this->setDescription((string) $this->description);
+        if (! isset($this->description)) {
+            $this->setDescription((string) static::getDefaultDescription());
+        } else {
+            $this->setDescription((string) $this->description);
+        }
 
         $this->setHelp((string) $this->help);