diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Connection.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Connection.php
index 69f76bc12d7..b05e9f7e709 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Connection.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Connection.php
@@ -449,10 +449,20 @@ public function listTables() {
  * @return array The schema data for the requested table.
  */
 	public function describe($table) {
-		$this->connect();
-		$result = $this->execute($this->_driver->describeTableSql(), ['table' => $table]);
+		list($sql, $params) = $this->_driver->describeTableSql($table);
+		$statement = $this->execute($sql, $params);
 		$schema = [];
-
+		// TODO complete.
+		// TODO add tableParameters for platform specific features.
+		while ($row = $statement->fetch('assoc')) {
+			list($type, $length) = $this->_driver->columnType($row['Type']);
+			$schema[$row['Field']] = [
+				'type' => $type,
+				'null' => $row['Null'] === 'YES' ? true : false,
+				'default' => $row['Default'],
+				'length' => $length,
+			];
+		}
 		return $schema;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/Driver/MysqlTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/Driver/MysqlTest.php
index ca1bc0f2c96..78303e8beda 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/Driver/MysqlTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/Driver/MysqlTest.php
@@ -242,8 +242,7 @@ public function testDescribeTable() {
 				'type' => 'biginteger',
 				'null' => false,
 				'default' => null,
-				'length' => 8,
-				'primary' => true
+				'length' => 20,
 			],
 			'title' => [
 				'type' => 'string',