diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
index b0064e1fd..51fbdafc6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
@@ -57,6 +57,35 @@
 
                 {% include 'snippets/trimmed_text.html' with full=book|book_description %}
 
+                {% if request.user.is_authenticated and perms.bookwyrm.edit_book and not book|book_description %}
+                <div>
+                    <input class="toggle-control" type="radio" name="add-description" id="hide-description" checked>
+                    <div class="toggle-content hidden">
+                        <label class="button" for="add-description" tabindex="0" role="button">Add description</label>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+
+                <div>
+                    <input class="toggle-control" type="radio" name="add-description" id="add-description">
+                    <div class="toggle-content hidden">
+                        <div class="box">
+                            <form name="add-description" method="POST" action="/add-description/{{ book.id }}">
+                                {% csrf_token %}
+                                <p class="fields is-grouped">
+                                    <label class="label"for="id_description">Description:</label>
+                                    <textarea name="description" cols="None" rows="None" class="textarea" id="id_description"></textarea>
+                                </p>
+                                <div class="field">
+                                    <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">Save</button>
+                                    <label class="button" for="hide-description" tabindex="0" role="button">Cancel</label>
+                                </div>
+                            </form>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+                {% endif %}
+
+
                 {% if book.parent_work.edition_set.count > 1 %}
                 <p><a href="/book/{{ book.parent_work.id }}/editions">{{ book.parent_work.edition_set.count }} editions</a></p>
                 {% endif %}
@@ -112,7 +141,7 @@
                             </div>
                             <div class="field is-grouped">
                                 <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">Save</button>
-                                <label class="button" for="show-readthrough-{{ readthrough.id }}">Cancel</label>
+                                <label class="button" for="show-readthrough-{{ readthrough.id }}" role="button" tabindex="0">Cancel</label>
                             </div>
                         </form>
                     </div>
@@ -135,7 +164,7 @@
 				<button class="button is-danger is-light" type="submit">
 				    Delete
 				</button>
-				<label for="delete-readthrough-{{ readthrough.id }}" class="button">Cancel</button>
+				<label for="delete-readthrough-{{ readthrough.id }}" class="button" role="button" tabindex="0">Cancel</button>
 			    </form>
                         </footer>
                     </div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 1b81c601f..3b3c1ab52 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^resolve-book/?', actions.resolve_book),
     re_path(r'^edit-book/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.edit_book),
     re_path(r'^upload-cover/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.upload_cover),
+    re_path(r'^add-description/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.add_description),
 
     re_path(r'^edit-readthrough/?', actions.edit_readthrough),
     re_path(r'^delete-readthrough/?', actions.delete_readthrough),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index f59b4e0e2..ca306bcba 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def upload_cover(request, book_id):
 
     form = forms.CoverForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=book)
     if not form.is_valid():
-        return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
+        return redirect('/book/%d' % book.id)
 
     book.cover = form.files['cover']
     book.sync_cover = False
@@ -262,6 +262,25 @@ def upload_cover(request, book_id):
     return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
 
 
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+@permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True)
+def add_description(request, book_id):
+    ''' upload a new cover '''
+    if not request.method == 'POST':
+        return redirect('/')
+
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
+
+    description = request.POST.get('description')
+
+    book.description = description
+    book.save()
+
+    outgoing.handle_update_book(request.user, book)
+    return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
+
+
 @login_required
 @require_POST
 def create_shelf(request):