diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
index 0b1fc1a9b..0e3ac2e8b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ public class RepoXMLHandler extends DefaultHandler {
                     break;
                 case "desc":
                     // New-style description.
-                    curapp.description = str;
+                    curapp.description = App.formatDescription(str);
                     break;
                 case "summary":
                     curapp.summary = str;
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/data/App.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/data/App.java
index 19c883f25..a6d2430b0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/data/App.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/data/App.java
@@ -382,6 +382,16 @@ public class App extends ValueObject implements Comparable<App>, Parcelable {
         initApkFromApkFile(context, this.installedApk, packageInfo, apkFile);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * In order to format all in coming descriptions before they are written
+     * out to the database and used elsewhere, this is needed to intercept
+     * the setting of {@link App#description} to insert the format method.
+     */
+    @JsonProperty("description")
+    private void setDescription(String description) { // NOPMD
+        this.description = formatDescription(description);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Parses the {@code localized} block in the incoming index metadata,
      * choosing the best match in terms of locale/language while filling as
@@ -499,7 +509,7 @@ public class App extends ValueObject implements Comparable<App>, Parcelable {
         }
         value = getLocalizedEntry(localized, localesToUse, "description");
         if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(value)) {
-            description = value;
+            description = formatDescription(value);
         }
 
         featureGraphic = getLocalizedGraphicsEntry(localized, localesToUse, "featureGraphic");
@@ -583,6 +593,13 @@ public class App extends ValueObject implements Comparable<App>, Parcelable {
         return new String[0];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the app description text with all newlines replaced by {@code <br>}
+     */
+    public static String formatDescription(String description) {
+        return description.replace("\n", "<br>");
+    }
+
     public String getFeatureGraphicUrl(Context context) {
         if (TextUtils.isEmpty(featureGraphic)) {
             return null;