diff --git a/seahub/base/context_processors.py b/seahub/base/context_processors.py
index 8db5cee521..1a23a26d16 100644
--- a/seahub/base/context_processors.py
+++ b/seahub/base/context_processors.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from constance import config
 
 import seaserv
 
-from seahub.settings import SEAFILE_VERSION, \
+from seahub.settings import SEAFILE_VERSION, SITE_DESCRIPTION, \
     MAX_FILE_NAME, LOGO_PATH, BRANDING_CSS, LOGO_WIDTH, LOGO_HEIGHT,\
     SHOW_REPO_DOWNLOAD_BUTTON, SITE_ROOT, ENABLE_GUEST_INVITATION, \
     FAVICON_PATH, THUMBNAIL_SIZE_FOR_ORIGINAL, \
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ def base(request):
     result = {
         'seafile_version': SEAFILE_VERSION,
         'site_title': config.SITE_TITLE,
+        'site_description': SITE_DESCRIPTION,
         'branding_css': BRANDING_CSS,
         'enable_branding_css': config.ENABLE_BRANDING_CSS,
         'favicon_path': favicon_path,
diff --git a/seahub/settings.py b/seahub/settings.py
index df047a5ad2..380aae6088 100644
--- a/seahub/settings.py
+++ b/seahub/settings.py
@@ -550,6 +550,9 @@ INIT_PASSWD = genpassword
 # browser tab title
 SITE_TITLE = 'Private Seafile'
 
+# html head meta tag for search engine preview text
+SITE_DESCRIPTION = ''
+
 # Base name used in email sending
 SITE_NAME = 'Seafile'
 
diff --git a/seahub/templates/base.html b/seahub/templates/base.html
index 075e425765..f05f2ad7de 100644
--- a/seahub/templates/base.html
+++ b/seahub/templates/base.html
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 <title>{% block sub_title %}{% endblock %}{{ site_title }}</title>
 <meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
 <meta name="keywords" content="{% trans "File Collaboration Team Organization" %}" />
+{% if site_description != '' %}<meta name="description" content="{{ site_description }}" />{% endif %}
 {% block viewport %}
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, user-scalable=no" />
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/seahub/templates/base_for_react.html b/seahub/templates/base_for_react.html
index b2a3404a99..4140f170b1 100644
--- a/seahub/templates/base_for_react.html
+++ b/seahub/templates/base_for_react.html
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 <title>{% block sub_title %}{% endblock %}{{ site_title }}</title>
 <meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
 <meta name="keywords" content="{% trans "File Collaboration Team Organization" %}" />
+{% if site_description != '' %}<meta name="description" content="{{ site_description }}" />{% endif %}
 {% block viewport %}
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, user-scalable=no" />
 {% endblock %}