diff --git a/gooey/python_bindings/config_generator.py b/gooey/python_bindings/config_generator.py
index 9bb96a6..2d007ca 100644
--- a/gooey/python_bindings/config_generator.py
+++ b/gooey/python_bindings/config_generator.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def create_from_parser(parser, source_path, **kwargs):
                     'over Gooey\'s text formatting')
 
 
-  build_spec['program_description'] = parser.description or build_spec['program_description']
+  build_spec['program_description'] = build_spec['program_description'] or parser.description or ''
 
   layout_data = (argparse_to_json.convert(parser, **build_spec)
                    if build_spec['show_advanced']
diff --git a/gooey/tests/test_config_generator.py b/gooey/tests/test_config_generator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1964b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gooey/tests/test_config_generator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import unittest
+from argparse import ArgumentParser
+
+from python_bindings.config_generator import create_from_parser
+
+
+class TextConfigGenerator(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_program_description(self):
+        """
+        Should use `program_description` if supplied, otherwise
+        fallback to the description on the `parser`
+        """
+
+        parser = ArgumentParser(description="Parser Description")
+        # when supplied explicitly, we assign it as the description
+        buildspec = create_from_parser(parser, "", program_description='Custom Description')
+        self.assertEqual(buildspec['program_description'], 'Custom Description')
+
+        # when no explicit program_definition supplied, we fallback to the parser's description
+        buildspec = create_from_parser(parser, "")
+        self.assertEqual(buildspec['program_description'], 'Parser Description')
+
+        # if no description is provided anywhere, we just set it to be an empty string.
+        blank_parser = ArgumentParser()
+        buildspec = create_from_parser(blank_parser, "")
+        self.assertEqual(buildspec['program_description'], '')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()
\ No newline at end of file