diff --git a/mistral/api/controllers/v2/execution.py b/mistral/api/controllers/v2/execution.py
index 669e1328..1f990d88 100644
--- a/mistral/api/controllers/v2/execution.py
+++ b/mistral/api/controllers/v2/execution.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class ExecutionsController(rest.RestController):
         if new_description:
             wf_ex = db_api.update_workflow_execution(
                 id,
-                description=new_description
+                {"description": new_description}
             )
 
         elif new_state == states.PAUSED:
diff --git a/mistral/tests/functional/api/v2/test_mistral_basic_v2.py b/mistral/tests/functional/api/v2/test_mistral_basic_v2.py
index 888e3275..cb785b35 100644
--- a/mistral/tests/functional/api/v2/test_mistral_basic_v2.py
+++ b/mistral/tests/functional/api/v2/test_mistral_basic_v2.py
@@ -321,6 +321,15 @@ class ExecutionTestsV2(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
         self.assertEqual('PAUSED', body['state'])
 
+    @test.attr(type='sanity')
+    def test_update_execution_description(self):
+        _, execution = self.client.create_execution(self.direct_wf)
+        resp, body = self.client.update_execution(
+            execution['id'], '{"description": "description"}')
+
+        self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+        self.assertEqual('description', body['description'])
+
     @test.attr(type='sanity')
     def test_update_execution_fail(self):
         _, execution = self.client.create_execution(self.direct_wf)
diff --git a/mistral/tests/unit/api/v2/test_executions.py b/mistral/tests/unit/api/v2/test_executions.py
index 1ac4e1a5..049c8622 100644
--- a/mistral/tests/unit/api/v2/test_executions.py
+++ b/mistral/tests/unit/api/v2/test_executions.py
@@ -145,6 +145,18 @@ class TestExecutionsController(base.FunctionalTest):
             WF_EX_JSON_WITH_DESC
         )
 
+    @mock.patch('mistral.db.v2.api.ensure_workflow_execution_exists')
+    @mock.patch('mistral.db.v2.api.update_workflow_execution',
+                return_value=WF_EX)
+    def test_put_description(self, mock_update, mock_ensure):
+        update_params = {'description': 'execution description.'}
+
+        resp = self.app.put_json('/v2/executions/123', update_params)
+
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 200)
+        mock_ensure.assert_called_once_with('123')
+        mock_update.assert_called_once_with('123', update_params)
+
     @mock.patch.object(rpc.EngineClient, 'start_workflow')
     def test_post(self, f):
         f.return_value = WF_EX.to_dict()