diff --git a/app/controllers/allgood/healthcheck_controller.rb b/app/controllers/allgood/healthcheck_controller.rb
index 5a1a622..65b1fa6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/allgood/healthcheck_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/allgood/healthcheck_controller.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def run_checks
         if check[:status] == :skipped
           {
             name: check[:name],
+            description: check[:description],
             success: true,
             skipped: true,
             message: check[:skip_reason],
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ def run_single_check(check)
 
         return {
           name: check[:name],
+          description: check[:description],
           success: last_result ? last_result[:success] : true,
           skipped: true,
           message: message,
@@ -64,7 +66,11 @@ def run_single_check(check)
       end
 
       start_time = Time.now
-      result = { success: false, message: "Check timed out after #{check[:timeout]} seconds" }
+      result = {
+        description: check[:description],
+        success: false,
+        message: "Check timed out after #{check[:timeout]} seconds"
+      }
       error_key = "allgood:error:#{check[:name].parameterize}"
 
       begin
@@ -104,6 +110,7 @@ def run_single_check(check)
 
       {
         name: check[:name],
+        description: check[:description],
         success: result[:success],
         message: result[:message],
         duration: ((Time.now - start_time) * 1000).round(1)
diff --git a/app/views/allgood/healthcheck/index.html.erb b/app/views/allgood/healthcheck/index.html.erb
index 15c1b09..c20283e 100644
--- a/app/views/allgood/healthcheck/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/allgood/healthcheck/index.html.erb
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@
   .skipped {
     opacity: 0.6;
   }
+
+  .description {
+    margin-left: 0.5rem;
+    border-left: gray solid 2px;
+    padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+    opacity: 0.6;
+  }
 </style>
 
 <header>
@@ -36,6 +43,12 @@
       <% unless result[:skipped] %>
         <code>[<%= result[:duration] %>ms]</code>
       <% end %>
+
+      <% if result[:description].present? %>
+        <div class="description">
+          <%= sanitize result[:description] %>
+        </div>
+      <% end %>
     </div>
   <% end %>
 <% else %>
diff --git a/lib/allgood/configuration.rb b/lib/allgood/configuration.rb
index db43bfd..58e4d4a 100644
--- a/lib/allgood/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/allgood/configuration.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ def initialize
     def check(name, **options, &block)
       check_info = {
         name: name,
+        description: options[:description],
         block: block,
         timeout: options[:timeout] || @default_timeout,
         options: options,