diff --git a/ftl/core/deck-config.ftl b/ftl/core/deck-config.ftl
index 868a8fdb8..eb86c1f23 100644
--- a/ftl/core/deck-config.ftl
+++ b/ftl/core/deck-config.ftl
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ deck-config-used-by-decks =
        *[other] { $decks } decks
     }
 deck-config-default-name = Default
+deck-config-description-markdown = Enable markdown+clean HTML
+deck-config-description-markdown-hint = Will appear as text on Anki 2.1.40 and below.
diff --git a/pylib/anki/collection.py b/pylib/anki/collection.py
index 1d7c442e7..d909832a7 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/collection.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/collection.py
@@ -867,6 +867,10 @@ table.review-log {{ {revlog_style} }}
     def set_preferences(self, prefs: Preferences) -> None:
         self._backend.set_preferences(prefs)
 
+    def render_markdown(self, text: str, sanitize: bool = True) -> str:
+        "Not intended for public consumption at this time."
+        return self._backend.render_markdown(markdown=text, sanitize=sanitize)
+
 
 # legacy name
 _Collection = Collection
diff --git a/qt/aqt/deckconf.py b/qt/aqt/deckconf.py
index 4b9e59c03..1441b68c0 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/deckconf.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/deckconf.py
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ class DeckConf(QDialog):
         f.autoplaySounds.setChecked(c["autoplay"])
         f.replayQuestion.setChecked(c.get("replayq", True))
         # description
+        f.enable_markdown.setChecked(self.deck.get("md", False))
         f.desc.setPlainText(self.deck["desc"])
         gui_hooks.deck_conf_did_load_config(self, self.deck, self.conf)
 
@@ -320,6 +321,7 @@ class DeckConf(QDialog):
         c["autoplay"] = f.autoplaySounds.isChecked()
         c["replayq"] = f.replayQuestion.isChecked()
         # description
+        self.deck["md"] = f.enable_markdown.isChecked()
         self.deck["desc"] = f.desc.toPlainText()
         gui_hooks.deck_conf_will_save_config(self, self.deck, self.conf)
         self.mw.col.decks.save(self.deck)
diff --git a/qt/aqt/forms/dconf.ui b/qt/aqt/forms/dconf.ui
index b2ce0f719..78480251f 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/forms/dconf.ui
+++ b/qt/aqt/forms/dconf.ui
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
-    <width>623</width>
+    <width>638</width>
     <height>514</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
@@ -670,6 +670,16 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="enable_markdown">
+         <property name="toolTip">
+          <string>DECK_CONFIG_DESCRIPTION_MARKDOWN_HINT</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>DECK_CONFIG_DESCRIPTION_MARKDOWN</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
        <item>
         <widget class="QTextEdit" name="desc"/>
        </item>
diff --git a/qt/aqt/overview.py b/qt/aqt/overview.py
index 7bb8b57e6..eb6c4925a 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/overview.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/overview.py
@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ class Overview:
             desc += " " + tr(TR.STUDYING_DELETING_THIS_DECK_FROM_THE_DECK)
         else:
             desc = deck.get("desc", "")
+            if deck.get("md", False):
+                desc = self.mw.col.render_markdown(desc)
         if not desc:
             return "<p>"
         if deck["dyn"]:
diff --git a/rslib/backend.proto b/rslib/backend.proto
index 245d94adc..cdb8b27cd 100644
--- a/rslib/backend.proto
+++ b/rslib/backend.proto
@@ -207,11 +207,12 @@ service BackendService {
   rpc FullDownload(SyncAuth) returns (Empty);
   rpc SyncServerMethod(SyncServerMethodIn) returns (Json);
 
-  // translation/messages
+  // translation/messages/text manipulation
 
   rpc TranslateString(TranslateStringIn) returns (String);
   rpc FormatTimespan(FormatTimespanIn) returns (String);
   rpc I18nResources(Empty) returns (Json);
+  rpc RenderMarkdown(RenderMarkdownIn) returns (String);
 
   // tags
 
@@ -303,6 +304,8 @@ message DeckCommon {
   // but not currently used for anything
   int32 learning_studied = 6;
 
+  reserved 8 to 13;
+
   bytes other = 255;
 }
 
@@ -318,6 +321,9 @@ message NormalDeck {
   uint32 extend_new = 2;
   uint32 extend_review = 3;
   string description = 4;
+  bool markdown_description = 5;
+
+  reserved 6 to 11;
 }
 
 message FilteredDeck {
@@ -1245,3 +1251,8 @@ message SetConfigStringIn {
   Config.String.Key key = 1;
   string value = 2;
 }
+
+message RenderMarkdownIn {
+  string markdown = 1;
+  bool sanitize = 2;
+}
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
index 265675f24..b80b16868 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use crate::{
     latex::{extract_latex, extract_latex_expanding_clozes, ExtractedLatex},
     log,
     log::default_logger,
+    markdown::render_markdown,
     media::check::MediaChecker,
     media::sync::MediaSyncProgress,
     media::MediaManager,
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ use crate::{
         SyncStage,
     },
     template::RenderedNode,
-    text::{escape_anki_wildcards, extract_av_tags, strip_av_tags, AVTag},
+    text::{escape_anki_wildcards, extract_av_tags, sanitize_html_no_images, strip_av_tags, AVTag},
     timestamp::TimestampSecs,
     types::Usn,
 };
@@ -1402,6 +1403,15 @@ impl BackendService for Backend {
             .map_err(Into::into)
     }
 
+    fn render_markdown(&self, input: pb::RenderMarkdownIn) -> BackendResult<pb::String> {
+        let mut text = render_markdown(&input.markdown);
+        if input.sanitize {
+            // currently no images
+            text = sanitize_html_no_images(&text);
+        }
+        Ok(text.into())
+    }
+
     // tags
     //-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/rslib/src/decks/mod.rs b/rslib/src/decks/mod.rs
index fee9160c7..06bf15378 100644
--- a/rslib/src/decks/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/decks/mod.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ impl Deck {
     pub fn new_normal() -> Deck {
         let mut norm = NormalDeck::default();
         norm.config_id = 1;
+        // enable in the future
+        // norm.markdown_description = true;
 
         Deck {
             id: DeckID(0),
@@ -95,10 +97,14 @@ impl Deck {
 
     pub fn rendered_description(&self) -> String {
         if let DeckKind::Normal(normal) = &self.kind {
-            let description = render_markdown(&normal.description);
-            // before allowing images, we'll need to handle relative image
-            // links on the various platforms
-            sanitize_html_no_images(&description)
+            if normal.markdown_description {
+                let description = render_markdown(&normal.description);
+                // before allowing images, we'll need to handle relative image
+                // links on the various platforms
+                sanitize_html_no_images(&description)
+            } else {
+                String::new()
+            }
         } else {
             String::new()
         }
diff --git a/rslib/src/decks/schema11.rs b/rslib/src/decks/schema11.rs
index 8f89b4c96..45879dc6b 100644
--- a/rslib/src/decks/schema11.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/decks/schema11.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ mod dynfix {
     }
 }
 
+fn is_false(b: &bool) -> bool {
+    !b
+}
+
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct DeckCommonSchema11 {
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_number_from_string")]
@@ -95,6 +99,8 @@ pub struct DeckCommonSchema11 {
     browser_collapsed: bool,
     #[serde(default)]
     desc: String,
+    #[serde(default, rename = "md", skip_serializing_if = "is_false")]
+    markdown_description: bool,
     #[serde(rename = "dyn")]
     dynamic: u8,
     #[serde(flatten)]
@@ -218,6 +224,7 @@ impl Default for NormalDeckSchema11 {
                 today: Default::default(),
                 other: Default::default(),
                 dynamic: 0,
+                markdown_description: false,
             },
             conf: 1,
             extend_new: 0,
@@ -292,6 +299,7 @@ impl From<NormalDeckSchema11> for NormalDeck {
             config_id: deck.conf,
             extend_new: deck.extend_new.max(0) as u32,
             extend_review: deck.extend_rev.max(0) as u32,
+            markdown_description: deck.common.markdown_description,
             description: deck.common.desc,
         }
     }
@@ -365,6 +373,10 @@ impl From<Deck> for DeckCommonSchema11 {
             } else {
                 0
             },
+            markdown_description: match &deck.kind {
+                DeckKind::Normal(n) => n.markdown_description,
+                DeckKind::Filtered(_) => false,
+            },
             desc: match deck.kind {
                 DeckKind::Normal(n) => n.description,
                 DeckKind::Filtered(_) => String::new(),