diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
index 5d396e2e96..c1592a59fc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ def render_data(mi, use_roman_numbers=True, all_fields=False):
                 val = force_unicode(val)
                 ans.append((field,
                     u'<td class="comments" colspan="2">%s</td>'%comments_to_html(val)))
+        elif metadata['datatype'] == 'composite' and \
+                            metadata['display'].get('contains_html', False):
+            val = getattr(mi, field)
+            if val:
+                val = force_unicode(val)
+                ans.append((field,
+                    u'<td class="title">%s</td><td>%s</td>'%
+                        (name, comments_to_html(val))))
         elif field == 'path':
             if mi.path:
                 path = force_unicode(mi.path, filesystem_encoding)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
index d2f1786ab0..9238ab3039 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog, Ui_QCreateCustomColumn):
             self.composite_sort_by.setCurrentIndex(sb)
             self.composite_make_category.setChecked(
                                 c['display'].get('make_category', False))
+            self.composite_make_category.setChecked(
+                                c['display'].get('contains_html', False))
         elif ct == 'enumeration':
             self.enum_box.setText(','.join(c['display'].get('enum_values', [])))
             self.enum_colors.setText(','.join(c['display'].get('enum_colors', [])))
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog, Ui_QCreateCustomColumn):
             getattr(self, 'date_format_'+x).setVisible(col_type == 'datetime')
             getattr(self, 'number_format_'+x).setVisible(col_type in ['int', 'float'])
         for x in ('box', 'default_label', 'label', 'sort_by', 'sort_by_label',
-                  'make_category'):
+                  'make_category', 'contains_html'):
             getattr(self, 'composite_'+x).setVisible(col_type in ['composite', '*composite'])
         for x in ('box', 'default_label', 'label', 'colors', 'colors_label'):
             getattr(self, 'enum_'+x).setVisible(col_type == 'enumeration')
@@ -257,6 +259,7 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog, Ui_QCreateCustomColumn):
                             'composite_sort': ['text', 'number', 'date', 'bool']
                                         [self.composite_sort_by.currentIndex()],
                             'make_category': self.composite_make_category.isChecked(),
+                            'contains_html': self.composite_contains_html.isChecked(),
                         }
         elif col_type == 'enumeration':
             if not unicode(self.enum_box.text()).strip():
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
index cedbfd72b8..e6729e9657 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
@@ -294,6 +294,16 @@ and end with &lt;code&gt;}&lt;/code&gt; You can have text before and after the f
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
+         <item>
+          <widget class="QCheckBox" name="composite_contains_html">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>If checked, this column will be displayed as HTML in book details and the content server</string>
+           </property>
+           <property name="text">
+            <string>Show as HTML in book details</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
          <item>
           <spacer name="horizontalSpacer_24">
            <property name="sizePolicy">
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py b/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
index c88813d6d9..79c714d2ab 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
@@ -795,7 +795,9 @@ class BrowseServer(object):
                     list(mi.get_all_user_metadata(False).items()):
                 if m['is_custom'] and field not in displayed_custom_fields:
                     continue
-                if m['datatype'] == 'comments' or field == 'comments':
+                if m['datatype'] == 'comments' or field == 'comments' or (
+                        m['datatype'] == 'composite' and \
+                            m['display'].get('contains_html', False)):
                     val = mi.get(field, '')
                     if val and val.strip():
                         comments.append((m['name'], comments_to_html(val)))
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py b/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
index 04300ea0e3..759a80b2f8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
@@ -186,7 +186,8 @@ def ACQUISITION_ENTRY(item, version, db, updated, CFM, CKEYS, prefix):
                                     CFM[key]['is_multiple']['ui_to_list'],
                                     ignore_max=True, no_tag_count=True,
                                     joinval=CFM[key]['is_multiple']['list_to_ui']))))
-            elif datatype == 'comments':
+            elif datatype == 'comments' or CFM[key]['datatype'] == 'composite' and \
+                            CFM[key]['display'].get('contains_html', False):
                 extra.append('%s: %s<br />'%(xml(name), comments_to_html(unicode(val))))
             else:
                 extra.append('%s: %s<br />'%(xml(name), xml(unicode(val))))