diff --git a/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/fixtures/issue_opened_with_null_description.json b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/fixtures/issue_opened_with_null_description.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c0a59b7944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/fixtures/issue_opened_with_null_description.json
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+{
+    "object_kind":"issue",
+    "user":{
+        "name":"Eeshan Garg",
+        "username":"eeshangarg",
+        "avatar_url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cd181af88d928dab53c55600c9f7551d?s=80\u0026d=identicon"
+    },
+    "project":{
+        "id":3319043,
+        "name":"my-awesome-project",
+        "description":"",
+        "web_url":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project",
+        "avatar_url":null,
+        "git_ssh_url":"git@gitlab.com:eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git",
+        "git_http_url":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git",
+        "namespace":"eeshangarg",
+        "visibility_level":20,
+        "path_with_namespace":"eeshangarg/my-awesome-project",
+        "default_branch":"feature",
+        "ci_config_path":null,
+        "homepage":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project",
+        "url":"git@gitlab.com:eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git",
+        "ssh_url":"git@gitlab.com:eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git",
+        "http_url":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git"
+    },
+    "object_attributes":{
+        "author_id":1129123,
+        "closed_at":null,
+        "confidential":false,
+        "created_at":"2018-03-23 17:35:53 UTC",
+        "description":null,
+        "due_date":null,
+        "id":9892394,
+        "iid":7,
+        "last_edited_at":null,
+        "last_edited_by_id":null,
+        "milestone_id":null,
+        "moved_to_id":null,
+        "project_id":3319043,
+        "relative_position":1073745323,
+        "state":"opened",
+        "time_estimate":0,
+        "title":"Issue without description",
+        "updated_at":"2018-03-23 17:35:53 UTC",
+        "updated_by_id":null,
+        "url":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project/issues/7",
+        "total_time_spent":0,
+        "human_total_time_spent":null,
+        "human_time_estimate":null,
+        "assignee_ids":[
+
+        ],
+        "assignee_id":null,
+        "action":"open"
+    },
+    "labels":[
+
+    ],
+    "changes":{
+        "total_time_spent":{
+            "previous":null,
+            "current":0
+        }
+    },
+    "repository":{
+        "name":"my-awesome-project",
+        "url":"git@gitlab.com:eeshangarg/my-awesome-project.git",
+        "description":"",
+        "homepage":"https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/tests.py b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/tests.py
index ac9e71aa5f..89551b86e1 100644
--- a/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/tests.py
+++ b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/tests.py
@@ -124,6 +124,16 @@ class GitlabHookTests(WebhookTestCase):
             HTTP_X_GITLAB_EVENT="Issue Hook"
         )
 
+    def test_create_issue_with_null_description(self) -> None:
+        expected_subject = u"my-awesome-project / Issue #7 Issue without description"
+        expected_message = u"Eeshan Garg created [Issue #7](https://gitlab.com/eeshangarg/my-awesome-project/issues/7)"
+        self.send_and_test_stream_message(
+            'issue_opened_with_null_description',
+            expected_subject,
+            expected_message,
+            HTTP_X_GITLAB_EVENT="Issue Hook"
+        )
+
     def test_update_issue_event_message(self) -> None:
         expected_subject = u"my-awesome-project / Issue #1 Issue title_new"
         expected_message = u"Tomasz Kolek updated [Issue #1](https://gitlab.com/tomaszkolek0/my-awesome-project/issues/1)"
diff --git a/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/view.py b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/view.py
index 52259b8521..a56a966d06 100644
--- a/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/view.py
+++ b/zerver/webhooks/gitlab/view.py
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ def get_tag_push_event_body(payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> Text:
 def get_issue_created_event_body(payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> Text:
     description = payload['object_attributes'].get('description')
     # Filter out multiline hidden comments
-    description = re.sub('<!--.*?-->', '', description, 0, re.DOTALL)
-    description = description.rstrip()
+    if description is not None:
+        description = re.sub('<!--.*?-->', '', description, 0, re.DOTALL)
+        description = description.rstrip()
     return get_issue_event_message(
         get_issue_user_name(payload),
         'created',