diff --git a/HtmlTestRunner/result.py b/HtmlTestRunner/result.py
index 96fb431..b848e91 100644
--- a/HtmlTestRunner/result.py
+++ b/HtmlTestRunner/result.py
@@ -164,8 +164,12 @@ def callback():
         self.callback = callback
 
     def getDescription(self, test):
-        """ Return the test description if not have test name. """
-        return str(test)
+        """ Return the test description if it has one, otherwise return the test name. """
+        doc_first_line = test.shortDescription()
+        if self.descriptions and doc_first_line:
+            return doc_first_line
+        else:
+            return ''
 
     def startTest(self, test):
         """ Called before execute each method. """
diff --git a/HtmlTestRunner/template/report_template.html b/HtmlTestRunner/template/report_template.html
index 4c2256b..0ef4276 100644
--- a/HtmlTestRunner/template/report_template.html
+++ b/HtmlTestRunner/template/report_template.html
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ <h2 class="text-capitalize">{{ title }}</h2>
                         {%- for test_case in tests_results %}
                         {%- if not test_case.subtests is defined %}
                         <tr class='{{ status_tags[test_case.outcome] }}'>
-                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ test_case.test_id.split(".")[-1] }}</td>
+                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ test_case.test_description or test_case.test_id.split(".")[-1]}}</td>
                             <td class="col-xs-1">
                                 <span class="label label-{{ status_tags[test_case.outcome] }}" style="display:block;width:40px;">
                                     {%- if test_case.outcome == test_case.SUCCESS -%}
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ <h2 class="text-capitalize">{{ title }}</h2>
                         {%- endif %}
                         {%- else %}
                         <tr class='{{ status_tags[test_case.outcome] }}'>
-                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ test_case.test_id.split(".")[-1] }}</td>
+                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ test_case.test_description or test_case.test_id.split(".")[-1] }}</td>
                             <td class="col-xs-1">
                                 <span class="label label-{{ status_tags[test_case.outcome] }}" style="display:block;width:40px;">
                                     {%- if test_case.outcome == test_case.SUCCESS -%}
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ <h2 class="text-capitalize">{{ title }}</h2>
                                     <tbody>
                                         {%- for subtest in test_case.subtests %}
                                         <tr class='{{ status_tags[subtest.outcome] }}'>
-                                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ subtest.test_id.split(".")[-1] }}</td>
+                                            <td class="col-xs-10">{{ subtest.test_description or test_case.test_id.split(".")[-1] }}</td>
                                             <td class="col-xs-1">
                                                 <span class="label label-{{ status_tags[subtest.outcome] }}" style="display:block;width:40px;">
                                                 {%- if subtest.outcome == subtest.SUCCESS -%}
@@ -159,4 +159,4 @@ <h2 class="text-capitalize">{{ title }}</h2>
         });
     </script>
 </body>
-</html
\ No newline at end of file
+</html