diff --git a/plugins/Channel/plugin.py b/plugins/Channel/plugin.py
index 746a4aa47..aa1084eb0 100644
--- a/plugins/Channel/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Channel/plugin.py
@@ -575,8 +575,8 @@ class Channel(callbacks.Plugin):
         hostmask = wrap(hostmask, ['op', ('haveHalfop+', _('ban someone')), 'text'])
 
         @internationalizeDocstring
-        def add(self, irc, msg, args, channel, banmask, expires):
-            """[<channel>] <nick|hostmask> [<expires>]
+        def add(self, irc, msg, args, channel, banmask, expires, description):
+            """[<channel>] <nick|hostmask> [<expires>] [<description>]
 
             If you have the #channel,op capability, this will effect a
             persistent ban from interacting with the bot on the given
@@ -589,10 +589,11 @@ class Channel(callbacks.Plugin):
             channel itself.
             """
             c = ircdb.channels.getChannel(channel)
-            c.addBan(banmask, expires)
+            c.addBan(banmask, expires or 0, description)
             ircdb.channels.setChannel(channel, c)
             irc.replySuccess()
-        add = wrap(add, ['op', first('hostmask', 'banmask'), additional('expiry', 0)])
+        add = wrap(add, ['op', first('hostmask', 'banmask'),
+            optional('expiry'), optional('text')])
 
         @internationalizeDocstring
         def remove(self, irc, msg, args, channel, banmask):
@@ -630,12 +631,16 @@ class Channel(callbacks.Plugin):
             if filtered_bans:
                 bans = []
                 for ban in filtered_bans:
-                    if all_bans[ban]:
-                        bans.append(format(_('%q (expires %t)'),
-                                           ban, all_bans[ban]))
+                    (expiration, description) = all_bans[ban]
+                    if expiration:
+                        bans.append(format(_('%q (%s, expires %t)'),
+                                           ban,
+                                           description or _('no description'),
+                                           expiration))
                     else:
-                        bans.append(format(_('%q (never expires)'),
-                                           ban, all_bans[ban]))
+                        bans.append(format(_('%q (%s, never expires)'),
+                                           ban,
+                                           description or _('no description')))
                 irc.reply(format('%L', bans))
             else:
                 irc.reply(format(_('There are no persistent bans on %s.'),
diff --git a/plugins/Channel/test.py b/plugins/Channel/test.py
index 5addfd925..4ff4d1d94 100644
--- a/plugins/Channel/test.py
+++ b/plugins/Channel/test.py
@@ -234,7 +234,15 @@ class ChannelTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
         self.assertRegexp('ban list foobar!*@baz', r'.*foobar!\*@baz.*')
         self.assertRegexp('ban list foobar!*@baz', r'.*foobar!qux@baz.*')
         self.assertResponse('ban list foobar!\*@baz',
-                '"foobar!*@baz" (never expires)')
+                '"foobar!*@baz" (no description, never expires)')
+
+        self.assertNotError('ban add foobarbaz!qux@baz foo')
+        self.assertResponse('ban list foobarbaz!*@baz',
+                '"foobarbaz!qux@baz" (foo, never expires)')
+
+        self.assertNotError('ban add foobarbazqux!qux@baz 5 bar')
+        self.assertRegexp('ban list foobarbazqux!*@baz',
+                r'"foobarbazqux!qux@baz" \(bar, expires [^ ]+\)')
 
     def testIgnore(self):
         orig = conf.supybot.protocols.irc.banmask()
diff --git a/src/ircdb.py b/src/ircdb.py
index ba8ae9075..03dcd4bb4 100644
--- a/src/ircdb.py
+++ b/src/ircdb.py
@@ -389,11 +389,11 @@ class IrcChannel(object):
                 self.capabilities, self.lobotomized,
                 self.defaultAllow, self.silences, self.exceptions)
 
-    def addBan(self, hostmask, expiration=0):
+    def addBan(self, hostmask, expiration=0, description=None):
         """Adds a ban to the channel banlist."""
         assert not conf.supybot.protocols.irc.strictRfc() or \
                 ircutils.isUserHostmask(hostmask), 'got %s' % hostmask
-        self.bans[hostmask] = int(expiration)
+        self.bans[hostmask] = (int(expiration), description)
 
     def removeBan(self, hostmask):
         """Removes a ban from the channel banlist."""
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ class IrcChannel(object):
         """Checks whether a given hostmask is banned by the channel banlist."""
         assert ircutils.isUserHostmask(hostmask), 'got %s' % hostmask
         now = time.time()
-        for (pattern, expiration) in self.bans.items():
+        for (pattern, (expiration, description)) in self.bans.items():
             if now < expiration or not expiration:
                 if ircutils.hostmaskPatternEqual(pattern, hostmask):
                     return True
@@ -478,9 +478,9 @@ class IrcChannel(object):
         for capability in self.capabilities:
             write('capability ' + capability)
         bans = self.bans.items()
-        utils.sortBy(operator.itemgetter(1), bans)
-        for (ban, expiration) in bans:
-            write('ban %s %d' % (ban, expiration))
+        utils.sortBy(lambda x:x[1][0], bans)
+        for (ban, (expiration, description)) in bans:
+            write('ban %s %d %s' % (ban, expiration, description))
         ignores = self.ignores.items()
         utils.sortBy(operator.itemgetter(1), ignores)
         for (ignore, expiration) in ignores: