diff --git a/modules/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile.cmake b/modules/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile.cmake
--- a/modules/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile.cmake
+++ b/modules/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile.cmake
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #                         [INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR <dir>]
 #                         [LIB_INSTALL_DIR <dir>]
 #                         [DEFINES -D<variable=value>...]
+#                         [DESCRIPTION <library description>]
 #                         [INSTALL])
 #
 # ``BASE_NAME`` is the name of the module. It's the name projects will use to
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@
 # ``DEFINES`` is a list of preprocessor defines that it is recommended users of
 # the library pass to the compiler when using it.
 #
+# ``DESCRIPTION`` describes what this library is. If it's not specified, CMake
+# will first try to get the description from the metainfo.yaml file or will
+# create one based on ``LIB_NAME``.
+#
 # ``INSTALL`` will cause the module to be installed to the ``pkgconfig``
 # subdirectory of ``LIB_INSTALL_DIR``, unless the ``ECM_PKGCONFIG_INSTALL_DIR``
 # cache variable is set to something different. Note that the first call to
@@ -66,6 +71,8 @@
 #   )
 #
 # Since 1.3.0.
+# ``DESCRIPTION`` available since 5.1.41
+#
 
 #=============================================================================
 # Copyright 2014 Aleix Pol Gonzalez <aleixpol@kde.org>
@@ -96,7 +103,7 @@
 
 function(ECM_GENERATE_PKGCONFIG_FILE)
   set(options INSTALL)
-  set(oneValueArgs BASE_NAME LIB_NAME FILENAME_VAR INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR LIB_INSTALL_DIR)
+  set(oneValueArgs BASE_NAME LIB_NAME FILENAME_VAR INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR LIB_INSTALL_DIR DESCRIPTION)
   set(multiValueArgs DEPS DEFINES)
 
   cmake_parse_arguments(EGPF "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
@@ -132,6 +139,17 @@
           set(EGPF_LIB_INSTALL_DIR "lib")
       endif()
   endif()
+  if(NOT EGPF_DESCRIPTION)
+      if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+          file(STRINGS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/metainfo.yaml" _EGPF_METAINFO_DESCRIPTION_STRING REGEX "^description:.*$")
+          if(_EGPF_METAINFO_DESCRIPTION_STRING)
+              string(REGEX REPLACE "^description:[ ]*(.*)" "\\1" EGPF_DESCRIPTION ${_EGPF_METAINFO_DESCRIPTION_STRING})
+          endif()
+      endif()
+      if("${EGPF_DESCRIPTION}" STREQUAL "")
+          set(EGPF_DESCRIPTION "${EGPF_LIB_NAME} library.")
+      endif()
+  endif()
 
   set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_BASENAME ${EGPF_BASE_NAME})
   set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_LIBNAME ${EGPF_LIB_NAME})
@@ -148,6 +166,7 @@
   else()
       set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_LIBS "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${EGPF_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}")
   endif()
+  set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_DESCRIPTION "${EGPF_DESCRIPTION}")
   set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_DEFINES "")
   if(EGPF_DEFINES)
     set(PKGCONFIG_TARGET_DEFINES "${EGPF_DEFINE}")
@@ -161,6 +180,7 @@
   file(WRITE ${PKGCONFIG_FILENAME}
 "
 Name: ${PKGCONFIG_TARGET_LIBNAME}
+Description: ${PKGCONFIG_TARGET_DESCRIPTION}
 Version: ${PROJECT_VERSION}
 Libs: -L${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${EGPF_LIB_INSTALL_DIR} -l${PKGCONFIG_TARGET_LIBNAME}
 Cflags: ${PKGCONFIG_TARGET_INCLUDES} ${PKGCONFIG_TARGET_DEFINES}
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons.pc b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons.pc
--- a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons.pc
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons.pc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
 Name: KF5CoreAddons
+Description: KF5CoreAddons test
 Version: 5.43
 Libs: -L/usr/lib -lKF5CoreAddons
 Cflags: -I/usr/KCoreAddons 
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons2.pc b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons2.pc
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons2.pc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+Name: KF5CoreAddons2
+Description: Addons to QtCore
+Version: 5.43
+Libs: -L/usr/lib -lKF5CoreAddons2
+Cflags: -I/usr/KCoreAddons 
+Requires: Qt5Core
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons3.pc b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons3.pc
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/KF5CoreAddons3.pc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+Name: KF5CoreAddons3
+Description: KF5CoreAddons3 library.
+Version: 5.43
+Libs: -L/usr/lib -lKF5CoreAddons3
+Cflags: -I/usr/KCoreAddons 
+Requires: Qt5Core
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_description.yaml b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_description.yaml
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_description.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+maintainer: mpyne
+description: Addons to QtCore
+tier: 1
+type: functional
+platforms:
+    - name: Linux
+    - name: FreeBSD
+    - name: Windows
+    - name: MacOSX
+    - name: Android
+portingAid: false
+deprecated: false
+release: true
+libraries:
+ - qmake: KCoreAddons
+   cmake: "KF5::CoreAddons"
+cmakename: KF5CoreAddons
+
+public_lib: true
+group: Frameworks
+subgroup: Tier 1
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_empty_description.yaml b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_empty_description.yaml
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_with_empty_description.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+maintainer: mpyne
+description:
+tier: 1
+type: functional
+platforms:
+    - name: Linux
+    - name: FreeBSD
+    - name: Windows
+    - name: MacOSX
+    - name: Android
+portingAid: false
+deprecated: false
+release: true
+libraries:
+ - qmake: KCoreAddons
+   cmake: "KF5::CoreAddons"
+cmakename: KF5CoreAddons
+
+public_lib: true
+group: Frameworks
+subgroup: Tier 1
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_without_description.yaml b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_without_description.yaml
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/metainfo_without_description.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+maintainer: mpyne
+tier: 1
+type: functional
+platforms:
+    - name: Linux
+    - name: FreeBSD
+    - name: Windows
+    - name: MacOSX
+    - name: Android
+portingAid: false
+deprecated: false
+release: true
+libraries:
+ - qmake: KCoreAddons
+   cmake: "KF5::CoreAddons"
+cmakename: KF5CoreAddons
+
+public_lib: true
+group: Frameworks
+subgroup: Tier 1
diff --git a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/run_test.cmake.config b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/run_test.cmake.config
--- a/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/run_test.cmake.config
+++ b/tests/ECMGeneratePkgConfigFile/run_test.cmake.config
@@ -47,8 +47,63 @@
 message(STATUS "Test 1: no optional arguments")
 set(origfiles "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/KF5CoreAddons.pc")
 
-ecm_generate_pkgconfig_file(BASE_NAME KF5CoreAddons DEPS Qt5Core INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR /usr/KCoreAddons FILENAME_VAR OutputFile)
+ecm_generate_pkgconfig_file(BASE_NAME KF5CoreAddons
+                            DESCRIPTION "KF5CoreAddons test"
+                            DEPS Qt5Core
+                            INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR /usr/KCoreAddons
+                            FILENAME_VAR OutputFile)
 
 compare_files(GENERATED ${OutputFile}
               ORIGINALS ${origfiles})
 file(REMOVE ${OutputFile})
+
+message(STATUS "Test2: no description parameter, metainfo.yaml with description found")
+set(origfiles "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/KF5CoreAddons2.pc")
+
+file(COPY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/metainfo_with_description.yaml
+     DESTINATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+file(RENAME ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo_with_description.yaml ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+
+ecm_generate_pkgconfig_file(BASE_NAME KF5CoreAddons2
+                            DEPS Qt5Core
+                            INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR /usr/KCoreAddons
+                            FILENAME_VAR OutputFile)
+
+compare_files(GENERATED ${OutputFile}
+              ORIGINALS ${origfiles})
+file(REMOVE ${OutputFile})
+file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+
+message(STATUS "Test3: no description parameter, metainfo.yaml with empty description found")
+set(origfiles "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/KF5CoreAddons3.pc")
+
+file(COPY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/metainfo_with_empty_description.yaml
+     DESTINATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+file(RENAME ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo_with_empty_description.yaml ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+
+ecm_generate_pkgconfig_file(BASE_NAME KF5CoreAddons3
+                            DEPS Qt5Core
+                            INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR /usr/KCoreAddons
+                            FILENAME_VAR OutputFile)
+
+compare_files(GENERATED ${OutputFile}
+              ORIGINALS ${origfiles})
+file(REMOVE ${OutputFile})
+file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+
+message(STATUS "Test4: no description parameter, metainfo.yaml without description")
+set(origfiles "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/KF5CoreAddons3.pc")
+
+file(COPY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/metainfo_without_description.yaml
+     DESTINATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+file(RENAME ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo_without_description.yaml ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)
+
+ecm_generate_pkgconfig_file(BASE_NAME KF5CoreAddons3
+                            DEPS Qt5Core
+                            INCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR /usr/KCoreAddons
+                            FILENAME_VAR OutputFile)
+
+compare_files(GENERATED ${OutputFile}
+              ORIGINALS ${origfiles})
+file(REMOVE ${OutputFile})
+file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/metainfo.yaml)