diff --git a/doc_src/functions.txt b/doc_src/functions.txt
index 05c8b6028..9aae7e069 100644
--- a/doc_src/functions.txt
+++ b/doc_src/functions.txt
@@ -23,14 +23,15 @@ The following options are available:
 
 - `-e` or `--erase` causes the specified functions to be erased.
 
-- `-m` or `--metadata` reports the path name where each function is defined or could be autoloaded, `stdin` if the function was defined interactively or on the command line or by reading stdin, and `n/a` if the function isn't available. If the `--verbose` option is also specified then four lines are written:
+- `-m` or `--metadata` reports the path name where each function is defined or could be autoloaded, `stdin` if the function was defined interactively or on the command line or by reading stdin, and `n/a` if the function isn't available. If the `--verbose` option is also specified then five lines are written:
 
     -# the pathname as already described,
     -# `autoloaded`, `not-autoloaded` or `n/a`,
     -# the line number within the file or zero if not applicable,
-    -# `scope-shadowing` if the function shadows the vars in the calling function (the normal case) else `no-scope-shadowing`, or `n/a` if the function isn't defined.
+    -# `scope-shadowing` if the function shadows the vars in the calling function (the normal case if it wasn't defined with `--no-scope-shadowing`), else `no-scope-shadowing`, or `n/a` if the function isn't defined,
+    -# the function description minimally escaped so it is a single line or `n/a` if the function isn't defined.
 
-You should not assume that only four lines will be written since we may add additional information to the output in the future.
+You should not assume that only five lines will be written since we may add additional information to the output in the future.
 
 - `-n` or `--names` lists the names of all defined functions.
 
diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index 6ee4ec986..5ee57a475 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@ static int report_function_metadata(const wchar_t *funcname, bool verbose, io_st
     const wchar_t *path = L"n/a";
     const wchar_t *autoloaded = L"n/a";
     const wchar_t *shadows_scope = L"n/a";
+    wcstring description = L"n/a";
     int line_number = 0;
 
     if (function_exists(funcname)) {
@@ -1054,6 +1055,8 @@ static int report_function_metadata(const wchar_t *funcname, bool verbose, io_st
         }
         shadows_scope =
             function_get_shadow_scope(funcname) ? L"scope-shadowing" : L"no-scope-shadowing";
+        function_get_desc(funcname, &description);
+        description = escape_string(description, ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED);
     }
 
     if (metadata_as_comments) {
@@ -1066,6 +1069,7 @@ static int report_function_metadata(const wchar_t *funcname, bool verbose, io_st
             streams.out.append_format(L"%ls\n", autoloaded);
             streams.out.append_format(L"%d\n", line_number);
             streams.out.append_format(L"%ls\n", shadows_scope);
+            streams.out.append_format(L"%ls\n", description.c_str());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/functions.in b/tests/functions.in
index c51981db5..dbe934eba 100644
--- a/tests/functions.in
+++ b/tests/functions.in
@@ -41,10 +41,22 @@ end
 # Verify that `functions --verbose --metadata` works as expected when given the name of a
 # function that was autoloaded.
 set x (functions -v -m abbr)
-if test (count $x) -ne 4
+if test (count $x) -ne 5
 or not string match -q '*/share/functions/abbr.fish' $x[1]
 or test $x[2] != autoloaded
 or test $x[3] != 1
 or test $x[4] != scope-shadowing
+or test $x[5] != 'Manage abbreviations'
     echo "Unexpected output for 'functions -v -m abbr': $x" >&2
 end
+
+# ==========
+# Verify that `functions --verbose --metadata` properly escapes a function
+# with a multiline description.
+function multiline_descr -d 'line 1\n
+line 2 & more; way more'
+end
+set x (functions -v -m multiline_descr)
+if test $x[5] != 'line 1\\\\n\\nline 2 & more; way more'
+    echo "Unexpected output for 'functions -v -m multiline_descr': $x" >&2
+end