diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index b3af6340..8a1eed7b 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ int additional[256];
 struct source {
 	std::string layer = "";
 	std::string file = "";
+	std::string description = "";
 };
 
 size_t CPUS;
@@ -1303,6 +1304,7 @@ int read_input(std::vector<source> &sources, char *fname, int maxzoom, int minzo
 	std::map<std::string, layermap_entry> layermap;
 	for (size_t l = 0; l < nlayers; l++) {
 		layermap_entry e = layermap_entry(l);
+		e.description = sources[l].description;
 		layermap.insert(std::pair<std::string, layermap_entry>(sources[l].layer, e));
 	}
 
diff --git a/mbtiles.cpp b/mbtiles.cpp
index c0ed5f02..e5731420 100644
--- a/mbtiles.cpp
+++ b/mbtiles.cpp
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *outdir, const char *fnam
 				state.json_write_string(lnames[i]);
 
 				state.json_write_string("description");
-				state.json_write_string("");
+				state.json_write_string(fk->second.description);
 
 				state.json_write_string("minzoom");
 				state.json_write_signed(fk->second.minzoom);
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ std::map<std::string, layermap_entry> merge_layermaps(std::vector<std::map<std::
 				auto out_entry = out.find(layername);
 				out_entry->second.minzoom = map->second.minzoom;
 				out_entry->second.maxzoom = map->second.maxzoom;
+				out_entry->second.description = map->second.description;
 			}
 
 			auto out_entry = out.find(layername);
diff --git a/mbtiles.hpp b/mbtiles.hpp
index fd39f7ee..f527b2c3 100644
--- a/mbtiles.hpp
+++ b/mbtiles.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ struct layermap_entry {
 	std::map<std::string, type_and_string_stats> file_keys{};
 	int minzoom = 0;
 	int maxzoom = 0;
+	std::string description = "";
 
 	size_t points = 0;
 	size_t lines = 0;