diff --git a/openwisp_notifications/api/serializers.py b/openwisp_notifications/api/serializers.py
index c5060a42..2f843a2d 100644
--- a/openwisp_notifications/api/serializers.py
+++ b/openwisp_notifications/api/serializers.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class Meta(NotificationSerializer.Meta):
         fields = [
             'id',
             'message',
-            'description',
+            'get_description',
             'unread',
             'target_url',
             'email_subject',
diff --git a/openwisp_notifications/base/models.py b/openwisp_notifications/base/models.py
index 8b5fb871..82e346a8 100644
--- a/openwisp_notifications/base/models.py
+++ b/openwisp_notifications/base/models.py
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ def target_url(self):
     def message(self):
         return self.get_message()
 
+    @cached_property
+    def get_description(self):
+        return mark_safe(markdown(self.description))
+
     @property
     def email_message(self):
         return self.get_message(email_message=True)
diff --git a/openwisp_notifications/static/openwisp-notifications/js/notifications.js b/openwisp_notifications/static/openwisp-notifications/js/notifications.js
index 0c5e05d4..515ca078 100644
--- a/openwisp_notifications/static/openwisp-notifications/js/notifications.js
+++ b/openwisp_notifications/static/openwisp-notifications/js/notifications.js
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function notificationWidget($) {
                             </div>
                             <div class="ow-notification-date">${datetime}</div>
                         </div>
-                    ${elem.description ? elem.message.replace(/<a [^>]*>([^<]*)<\/a>/g, '$1') : convertMessageWithRelativeURL(elem.message)}
+                    ${elem.get_description ? elem.message.replace(/<a [^>]*>([^<]*)<\/a>/g, '$1') : convertMessageWithRelativeURL(elem.message)}
                     </div>
                 </div>`;
     }
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ function notificationWidget($) {
         }
 
         var notification = fetchedPages.flat().find((notification) => notification.id == elem.get(0).id.replace('ow-', ''));
-        if (notification.description) {
+        if (notification.get_description) {
             const datetime = dateTimeStampToDateTimeLocaleString(new Date(notification.timestamp));
             document.querySelector('.ow-dialog-notification-level-wrapper').innerHTML = `
                         <div class="ow-notification-level-wrapper">
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ function notificationWidget($) {
                         <div class="ow-notification-date">${datetime}</div>
             `;
             document.querySelector('.ow-message-title').innerHTML = convertMessageWithRelativeURL(notification.message);
-            document.querySelector('.ow-message-description').innerHTML = notification.description;
+            document.querySelector('.ow-message-description').innerHTML = notification.get_description;
             $('.ow-dialog-overlay').removeClass('ow-hide');
             if (notification.target_url) {
                 var target_url = new URL(notification.target_url, window.location.href);