diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
index 74eb559b7a..f9ede2ba8b 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ def render_metadata(mi, table, book_id, iframe_css):  # {{{
                     add_row(name, val)
                     return
                 val = E.span(val).outerHTML
+            else:
+                if field is 'comments' and '<' not in val:
+                    val = '\n'.join(['<p class="description">{}</p>'.format(x.pyreplace('\n', '<br>')) for x in val.split('\n\n')])
             if hp is 'side':
                 add_row(name, val, is_html=True)
                 return