diff --git a/gitweb/gitweb.perl b/gitweb/gitweb.perl
index a0c6a9b23..724f06f1f 100755
--- a/gitweb/gitweb.perl
+++ b/gitweb/gitweb.perl
@@ -5404,8 +5404,12 @@ sub git_project_list_rows {
 		                       esc_html_match_hl($pr->{'path'}, $search_regexp)) .
 		      "</td>\n" .
 		      "<td>" . $cgi->a({-href => href(project=>$pr->{'path'}, action=>"summary"),
-		                        -class => "list", -title => $pr->{'descr_long'}},
-		                        esc_html($pr->{'descr'})) . "</td>\n" .
+		                        -class => "list",
+		                        $search_regexp ? () : -title => $pr->{'descr_long'}},
+		                        $search_regexp
+		                        ? esc_html_match_hl($pr->{'descr_long'}, $search_regexp)
+		                        : esc_html($pr->{'descr'})) .
+		      "</td>\n" .
 		      "<td><i>" . chop_and_escape_str($pr->{'owner'}, 15) . "</i></td>\n";
 		print "<td class=\"". age_class($pr->{'age'}) . "\">" .
 		      (defined $pr->{'age_string'} ? $pr->{'age_string'} : "No commits") . "</td>\n" .