diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/controllers/courses/helpers.js b/app/assets/javascripts/controllers/courses/helpers.js
index d5745e67..4ac778c4 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/controllers/courses/helpers.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/controllers/courses/helpers.js
@@ -7,13 +7,19 @@ Handlebars.registerHelper('course_credits', function (c) {
   // render "credit(s)" properly
   if (c.min_credits != c.max_credits) {
     outString = c.min_credits + '-' + c.max_credits + ' credits';
-  }
-  else {
+  } else {
     outString = c.max_credits + ' credit' + (c.max_credits == 1 ? '' : 's');
   }
   return new Handlebars.SafeString(outString);
 });
 
+Handlebars.registerHelper('formatted_description', function (description) {
+  if (description === '') {
+    description = 'Description not available...';
+  }
+  return new Handlebars.SafeString(description);
+});
+
 Handlebars.registerHelper('join', function (arr) {
   return new Handlebars.SafeString(arr.join(', '));
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/templates/courses/template.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/templates/courses/template.hbs
index 884d5ebf..19537891 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/templates/courses/template.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/templates/courses/template.hbs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
         <department-code>{{department_code department_id}}</department-code>
         <course-number>{{number}}</course-number>
         <course-credits>{{course_credits this}}</course-credits>
-        <course-description>{{description}}</course-description>
+        <course-description>{{formatted_description description}}</course-description>
       </course-info>
       <sections>
         {{#sections}}