diff --git a/alembic/versions/f50596c5ffbb_make_application_description_optional.py b/alembic/versions/f50596c5ffbb_make_application_description_optional.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb2852fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alembic/versions/f50596c5ffbb_make_application_description_optional.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""Make application description optional
+
+Revision ID: f50596c5ffbb
+Revises: e3d93f9caba7
+Create Date: 2019-10-08 09:41:11.835664
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = "f50596c5ffbb"  # pragma: allowlist secret
+down_revision = "e3d93f9caba7"  # pragma: allowlist secret
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.alter_column(
+        "applications", "description", existing_type=sa.VARCHAR(), nullable=True
+    )
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.alter_column(
+        "applications", "description", existing_type=sa.VARCHAR(), nullable=False
+    )
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/atst/forms/application.py b/atst/forms/application.py
index f9c5ca0e..16db3827 100644
--- a/atst/forms/application.py
+++ b/atst/forms/application.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from .forms import BaseForm
 from wtforms.fields import StringField, TextAreaField, FieldList
-from wtforms.validators import Required
+from wtforms.validators import Required, Optional
 from atst.forms.validators import ListItemRequired, ListItemsUnique
 from atst.utils.localization import translate
 
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ class NameAndDescriptionForm(BaseForm):
         label=translate("forms.application.name_label"), validators=[Required()]
     )
     description = TextAreaField(
-        label=translate("forms.application.description_label"), validators=[Required()]
+        label=translate("forms.application.description_label"),
+        validators=[Optional()],
+        filters=[lambda x: x or None],
     )
 
 
diff --git a/atst/models/application.py b/atst/models/application.py
index 0f177a22..f79812c6 100644
--- a/atst/models/application.py
+++ b/atst/models/application.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class Application(
 
     id = Id()
     name = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    description = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    description = Column(String)
 
     portfolio_id = Column(ForeignKey("portfolios.id"), nullable=False)
     portfolio = relationship("Portfolio")
diff --git a/templates/applications/new/step_1.html b/templates/applications/new/step_1.html
index 4c2e0fa3..4ce3d5b3 100644
--- a/templates/applications/new/step_1.html
+++ b/templates/applications/new/step_1.html
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
           </div>
           <div class="form-row">
             <div class="form-col form-col--two-thirds">
-              {{ TextInput(form.description, paragraph=True, optional=False) }}
+              {{ TextInput(form.description, paragraph=True, optional=True) }}
+            </div>
             </div>
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/templates/applications/settings.html b/templates/applications/settings.html
index 5efe09bb..8c77a0a8 100644
--- a/templates/applications/settings.html
+++ b/templates/applications/settings.html
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
             <div class="form-row">
               <div class="form-col form-col--two-thirds">
                 {{ TextInput(application_form.name, optional=False) }}
-                {{ TextInput(application_form.description, paragraph=True, optional=False) }}
+                {{ TextInput(application_form.description, paragraph=True, optional=True) }}
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>