diff --git a/backend/src/hatchling/metadata/core.py b/backend/src/hatchling/metadata/core.py
index d05ff114d..d9787b176 100644
--- a/backend/src/hatchling/metadata/core.py
+++ b/backend/src/hatchling/metadata/core.py
@@ -462,8 +462,7 @@ def description(self) -> str:
             if not isinstance(description, str):
                 message = 'Field `project.description` must be a string'
                 raise TypeError(message)
-
-            self._description = description
+            self._description = ' '.join(description.splitlines())
 
         return self._description
 
diff --git a/tests/backend/metadata/test_core.py b/tests/backend/metadata/test_core.py
index 84e13f2b8..3ba39af9d 100644
--- a/tests/backend/metadata/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/backend/metadata/test_core.py
@@ -338,6 +338,11 @@ def test_custom(self, isolation):
 
         assert metadata.core.description == metadata.core.description == 'foo'
 
+    def test_normaliza(self, isolation):
+        metadata = ProjectMetadata(str(isolation), None, {'project': {'description': '\nfirst line.\r\nsecond line'}})
+
+        assert metadata.core.description == metadata.core.description == ' first line. second line'
+
 
 class TestReadme:
     def test_dynamic(self, isolation):