diff --git a/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/main/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/AbstractHTWorkItemHandler.java b/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/main/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/AbstractHTWorkItemHandler.java
index 2c685993d8..6b270cb940 100644
--- a/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/main/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/AbstractHTWorkItemHandler.java
+++ b/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/main/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/AbstractHTWorkItemHandler.java
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractHTWorkItemHandler implements WorkItemHandler {
     
     protected static final String ADMIN_USER = System.getProperty("org.jbpm.ht.admin.user", "Administrator");
     
+    private static final Boolean COPY_TASK_SUBJECT_TO_TASK_DESCRIPTION = Boolean.parseBoolean(System.getProperty("org.jbpm.ht.copy.task_subject.to.task_description", "true"));
+    
     protected OnErrorAction action = OnErrorAction.LOG;
 
     public AbstractHTWorkItemHandler() {
@@ -107,9 +109,14 @@ protected Task createTaskBasedOnWorkItemParams(KieSession session, WorkItem work
         
         String description = (String) workItem.getParameter("Description");
         if (description == null) {
-            description = comment;
+            if (COPY_TASK_SUBJECT_TO_TASK_DESCRIPTION) {
+                description = comment;
+            } else {
+                description = "";
+            }
+
         }
-        
+
         List<I18NText> descriptions = new ArrayList<I18NText>();
         I18NText descText = TaskModelProvider.getFactory().newI18NText();
         ((InternalI18NText) descText).setLanguage(locale);
diff --git a/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/test/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/HTWorkItemHandlerBaseTest.java b/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/test/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/HTWorkItemHandlerBaseTest.java
index 4627b5d665..1d7102f9b4 100644
--- a/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/test/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/HTWorkItemHandlerBaseTest.java
+++ b/jbpm-human-task/jbpm-human-task-workitems/src/test/java/org/jbpm/services/task/wih/HTWorkItemHandlerBaseTest.java
@@ -129,6 +129,80 @@ public void testTaskMultipleActors() throws Exception {
         assertTrue(manager.waitTillCompleted(MANAGER_COMPLETION_WAIT_TIME));
     }
     
+    @Test
+    public void testTaskDescriptionCopyingFromTaskSubject() throws Exception {
+
+        System.setProperty("org.jbpm.ht.copy.task_subject.to.task_description", "true");
+
+        TestWorkItemManager manager = new TestWorkItemManager();
+        ksession.setWorkItemManager(manager);
+        WorkItemImpl workItem = new WorkItemImpl();
+        workItem.setName("Human Task");
+        workItem.setParameter("NodeName", "TaskName");
+        workItem.setParameter("Comment", "MyComment");
+        workItem.setParameter("Priority", "10");
+        workItem.setParameter("ActorId", "Darth Vader, Dalai Lama");
+        workItem.setProcessInstanceId(10);
+        getHandler().executeWorkItem(workItem, manager);
+
+        List<TaskSummary> tasks = taskService.getTasksAssignedAsPotentialOwner("Darth Vader", "en-UK");
+        assertEquals(1, tasks.size());
+        TaskSummary task = tasks.get(0);
+        assertEquals("TaskName", task.getName());
+        assertEquals(10, task.getPriority().intValue());
+        assertEquals("MyComment", task.getSubject());
+        assertEquals("MyComment", task.getDescription());
+        assertEquals(Status.Ready, task.getStatus());
+
+        taskService.claim(task.getId(), "Darth Vader");
+
+        taskService.start(task.getId(), "Darth Vader");
+
+        taskService.complete(task.getId(), "Darth Vader", null);
+
+        assertTrue(manager.waitTillCompleted(MANAGER_COMPLETION_WAIT_TIME));
+
+        System.clearProperty("org.jbpm.ht.copy.task_subject.to.task_description");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testTaskDescriptionWithoutCopyingFromTaskSubject() throws Exception {
+
+        System.setProperty("org.jbpm.ht.copy.task_subject.to.task_description", "false");
+
+        TestWorkItemManager manager = new TestWorkItemManager();
+        ksession.setWorkItemManager(manager);
+        WorkItemImpl workItem = new WorkItemImpl();
+        workItem.setName("Human Task");
+        workItem.setParameter("NodeName", "TaskName");
+        workItem.setParameter("Comment", "MyComment");
+        workItem.setParameter("Description", "MyDescription");
+        workItem.setParameter("Priority", "10");
+        workItem.setParameter("ActorId", "Darth Vader, Dalai Lama");
+        workItem.setProcessInstanceId(10);
+        getHandler().executeWorkItem(workItem, manager);
+
+        List<TaskSummary> tasks = taskService.getTasksAssignedAsPotentialOwner("Darth Vader", "en-UK");
+        assertEquals(1, tasks.size());
+        TaskSummary task = tasks.get(0);
+        assertEquals("TaskName", task.getName());
+        assertEquals(10, task.getPriority().intValue());
+        assertEquals("MyComment", task.getSubject());
+        assertEquals("MyDescription", task.getDescription());
+        assertEquals(Status.Ready, task.getStatus());
+
+        taskService.claim(task.getId(), "Darth Vader");
+
+        taskService.start(task.getId(), "Darth Vader");
+
+        taskService.complete(task.getId(), "Darth Vader", null);
+
+        assertTrue(manager.waitTillCompleted(MANAGER_COMPLETION_WAIT_TIME));
+
+        System.clearProperty("org.jbpm.ht.copy.task_subject.to.task_description");
+
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testTaskGroupActors() throws Exception {