diff --git a/devplacepy/routers/profile/index.py b/devplacepy/routers/profile/index.py
index 26484688..90c09a0c 100644
--- a/devplacepy/routers/profile/index.py
+++ b/devplacepy/routers/profile/index.py
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ async def profile_page(
 
     badges = list(get_table("badges").find(user_uid=profile_user["uid"]))
     for b in badges:
-        b["icon"] = get_badge(b["badge_name"]).get("icon")
+        badge_meta = get_badge(b["badge_name"])
+        b["icon"] = badge_meta.get("icon")
+        b["description"] = badge_meta.get("description")
     achievements = build_achievements({b["badge_name"] for b in badges})
     badge_total = sum(group["total"] for group in achievements)
     badge_earned = sum(group["earned"] for group in achievements)
diff --git a/devplacepy/schemas/content.py b/devplacepy/schemas/content.py
index fe370a4e..8f8c79a1 100644
--- a/devplacepy/schemas/content.py
+++ b/devplacepy/schemas/content.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ class PollOut(_Out):
 class BadgeOut(_Out):
     name: Optional[str] = Field(None, alias="badge_name")
     icon: Optional[str] = None
+    description: Optional[str] = None
     created_at: Optional[str] = None
     model_config = ConfigDict(populate_by_name=True)
 
diff --git a/tests/api/profile/index.py b/tests/api/profile/index.py
index 4c359124..b3b7e3af 100644
--- a/tests/api/profile/index.py
+++ b/tests/api/profile/index.py
@@ -499,3 +499,76 @@ def test_profile_json_xp_fields_boundary_xp(app_server):
     )
 
 
+def _signup_badge_user():
+    import time
+
+    name = f"bdgi{int(time.time() * 1000)}"
+    session = requests.Session()
+    session.post(
+        f"{BASE_URL}/auth/signup",
+        data={
+            "username": name,
+            "email": f"{name}@t.dev",
+            "password": "secret123",
+            "confirm_password": "secret123",
+        },
+        allow_redirects=True,
+    )
+    return session, name
+
+
+def test_profile_badges_json_description_matches_catalog(app_server):
+    from devplacepy.database import get_table, refresh_snapshot
+    from devplacepy.utils import BADGE_CATALOG, award_badge
+
+    session, name = _signup_badge_user()
+    refresh_snapshot()
+    user = get_table("users").find_one(username=name)
+    assert user, f"user {name} not found after signup"
+    award_badge(user["uid"], "First Post")
+    award_badge(user["uid"], "Member")
+    refresh_snapshot()
+
+    r = session.get(
+        f"{BASE_URL}/profile/{name}", headers={"Accept": "application/json"}
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    body = r.json()
+    assert "badges" in body, "badges key missing from profile JSON"
+    assert isinstance(body["badges"], list), "badges is not a list"
+    assert body["badges"], "expected at least one badge"
+    for badge in body["badges"]:
+        assert "description" in badge, f"badge missing description key: {badge}"
+        assert badge["description"] is not None, f"badge description is null: {badge}"
+        assert isinstance(badge["description"], str), (
+            f"badge description is not a string: {badge}"
+        )
+        assert badge["description"] == BADGE_CATALOG[badge["name"]]["description"], (
+            f"badge description mismatch: {badge['name']}"
+        )
+
+
+def test_profile_badge_description_exact_string(app_server):
+    from devplacepy.database import get_table, refresh_snapshot
+    from devplacepy.utils import award_badge
+
+    session, name = _signup_badge_user()
+    refresh_snapshot()
+    user = get_table("users").find_one(username=name)
+    assert user, f"user {name} not found after signup"
+    award_badge(user["uid"], "Cheerleader")
+    refresh_snapshot()
+
+    r = session.get(
+        f"{BASE_URL}/profile/{name}", headers={"Accept": "application/json"}
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    badges = r.json()["badges"]
+    cheerleader = [b for b in badges if b["name"] == "Cheerleader"]
+    assert cheerleader, f"Cheerleader badge missing from profile JSON: {badges}"
+    assert cheerleader[0]["description"] == "Reacted 50 times", (
+        f"expected 'Reacted 50 times', got {cheerleader[0]['description']!r}"
+    )
+
+
+
diff --git a/tests/api/profile/search.py b/tests/api/profile/search.py
index 01333631..c833bcf7 100644
--- a/tests/api/profile/search.py
+++ b/tests/api/profile/search.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ def test_profile_renders_heatmap_and_streak(app_server):
 def test_profile_badges_json_has_non_null_names(app_server):
     import time
     from devplacepy.database import get_table, refresh_snapshot
-    from devplacepy.utils import award_badge
+    from devplacepy.utils import BADGE_CATALOG, award_badge
 
     name = f"bdg{int(time.time() * 1000)}"
     session = requests.Session()
@@ -309,5 +309,14 @@ def test_profile_badges_json_has_non_null_names(app_server):
         assert badge["name"] is not None, f"badge name is null: {badge}"
         assert isinstance(badge["name"], str), f"badge name is not a string: {badge}"
         assert len(badge["name"]) > 0, f"badge name is empty: {badge}"
+        assert "description" in badge, f"badge missing description key: {badge}"
+        assert badge["description"] is not None, f"badge description is null: {badge}"
+        assert isinstance(badge["description"], str), f"badge description is not a string: {badge}"
+        assert len(badge["description"]) > 0, f"badge description is empty: {badge}"
+        assert badge["description"] == BADGE_CATALOG[badge["name"]]["description"], (
+            f"badge description mismatch: {badge['name']}"
+        )
+
+