diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/instance-test.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/instance-test.js
index 47cbb936a..a2ed8545b 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/instance-test.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/instance-test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ describe('instance reducer', () => {
   it('should return the initial state', () => {
     expect(reducer(undefined, {})).toEqual(ImmutableMap({
       max_toot_chars: 500,
+      description_limit: 1500,
       poll_limits: ImmutableMap({
         max_expiration: 2629746,
         max_option_chars: 25,
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/instance.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/instance.js
index 36f06e0b5..85001e577 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/instance.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/instance.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const nodeinfoToInstance = nodeinfo => {
 // Set Mastodon defaults, overridden by Pleroma servers
 const initialState = ImmutableMap({
   max_toot_chars: 500,
+  description_limit: 1500,
   poll_limits: ImmutableMap({
     max_expiration: 2629746,
     max_option_chars: 25,