diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index c860d88be..539ed1d7a 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -1355,8 +1355,8 @@ class Changelist(object):
       return None
     return '%s/%s' % (self._codereview_impl.GetCodereviewServer(), issue)
 
-  def GetDescription(self, pretty=False):
-    if not self.has_description:
+  def GetDescription(self, pretty=False, force=False):
+    if not self.has_description or force:
       if self.GetIssue():
         self.description = self._codereview_impl.FetchDescription()
       self.has_description = True
diff --git a/tests/git_cl_test.py b/tests/git_cl_test.py
index 2f71f4ed9..bf6ba2304 100755
--- a/tests/git_cl_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_cl_test.py
@@ -173,6 +173,16 @@ class SystemExitMock(Exception):
 
 
 class TestGitClBasic(unittest.TestCase):
+  def test_get_description(self):
+    cl = git_cl.Changelist(issue=1, codereview='rietveld',
+                           codereview_host='host')
+    cl.description = 'x'
+    cl.has_description = True
+    cl._codereview_impl.FetchDescription = lambda: 'y'
+    self.assertEquals(cl.GetDescription(), 'x')
+    self.assertEquals(cl.GetDescription(force=True), 'y')
+    self.assertEquals(cl.GetDescription(), 'y')
+
   def _test_ParseIssueUrl(self, func, url, issue, patchset, hostname, fail):
     parsed = urlparse.urlparse(url)
     result = func(parsed)