diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
index 785f3397c..54bc03986 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from django.forms import ClearableFileInput, ImageField as DjangoImageField
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django.utils.encoding import filepath_to_uri
+from markdown import markdown
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm.connectors import get_image
@@ -499,6 +500,9 @@ class HtmlField(ActivitypubFieldMixin, models.TextField):
             return None
         return clean(value)
 
+    def field_to_activity(self, value):
+        return markdown(value)
+
 
 class ArrayField(ActivitypubFieldMixin, DjangoArrayField):
     """activitypub-aware array field"""