diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/group_info_panel.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/group_info_panel.js
index 310c124f..312c299c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/group_info_panel.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/group_info_panel.js
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class GroupInfoPanel extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     const isPrivate = !!group ? group.get('is_private') : false
     const isVisible = !!group ? group.get('is_visible') : false
     const tags = !!group ? group.get('tags') : []
+    const descriptionHTML = !!group ? { __html: group.get('description_html') } : {}
 
     if (noPanel) {
       return (
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class GroupInfoPanel extends ImmutablePureComponent {
                 </Text>
               }
               <Text className={[_s.mt10, _s.py2].join(' ')} color='secondary' size='small' align='center'>
-                {group.get('description')}
+                <div className={_s.dangerousContent} dangerouslySetInnerHTML={descriptionHTML} />
               </Text>
               <div className={[_s.d, _s.mt10, _s.flexRow, _s.jcCenter, _s.aiCenter].join(' ')}>
                 <Text color='secondary' size='small' align='center'>
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class GroupInfoPanel extends ImmutablePureComponent {
           <React.Fragment>
 
             <Text className={_s.mb5}>
-              {group.get('description')}
+              <div className={_s.dangerousContent} dangerouslySetInnerHTML={descriptionHTML} />
             </Text>
 
             <Divider isSmall />
diff --git a/app/lib/formatter.rb b/app/lib/formatter.rb
index bdd802e2..855e51bf 100644
--- a/app/lib/formatter.rb
+++ b/app/lib/formatter.rb
@@ -125,6 +125,19 @@ class Formatter
     html
   end
 
+  def formatGroupDescription(raw_content)
+    return '' if raw_content.blank?
+
+    html = raw_content
+    html = format_markdown(html)
+    html = encode_and_link_urls(html, nil, keep_html: true)
+    html = html.gsub(/(?:\n\r?|\r\n?)/, '<br />')
+    html = html.delete("\n")
+    html.html_safe # rubocop:disable Rails/OutputSafety
+
+    html
+  end
+
   def format_markdown(html)
     html = markdown_formatter.render(html)
     html = html.gsub(/\n/, '<br />')
diff --git a/app/serializers/rest/group_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/rest/group_serializer.rb
index a0554874..0a637bed 100644
--- a/app/serializers/rest/group_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/rest/group_serializer.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 class REST::GroupSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
   include RoutingHelper
   
-  attributes :id, :title, :description, :cover_image_url, :is_archived,
+  attributes :id, :title, :description, :description_html, :cover_image_url, :is_archived,
     :member_count, :created_at, :is_private, :is_visible, :slug, :tags, :category
 
   def id
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ class REST::GroupSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
     object.group_categories_id
   end
 
+  def description
+    object.description
+  end
+
+  def description_html
+    Formatter.instance.formatGroupDescription(object.description).strip
+  end
+
   def clean_migrated_url
     object
       .cover_image_file_name