diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index c94ccca6..7a29f434 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Don't break task descriptions on a period that appears in the middle of a sentence [Jamis Buck]
+
 * Added support for :on_error => :continue in task definitions, allowing tasks to effectively ignore connection and execution errors that occur as they run [Rob Holland]
 
 * Use correct parameters for Logger constructor in the SCM and Strategy base initializers [Jamis Buck]
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/task_definition.rb b/lib/capistrano/task_definition.rb
index 0209a3cd..58273f94 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/task_definition.rb
+++ b/lib/capistrano/task_definition.rb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ module Capistrano
     # given, the result will be truncated if it is longer than +max_length+,
     # and an ellipsis appended.
     def brief_description(max_length=nil)
-      brief = description[/^.*?\./] || description
+      brief = description[/^.*?\.(?=\s|$)/] || description
 
       if max_length && brief.length > max_length
         brief = brief[0,max_length-3] + "..."
diff --git a/test/task_definition_test.rb b/test/task_definition_test.rb
index 3f3e6eec..3e0a1b1b 100644
--- a/test/task_definition_test.rb
+++ b/test/task_definition_test.rb
@@ -79,15 +79,23 @@ class TaskDefinitionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_equal "Here is a line wrapped with spacing in it.\n\n  foo         bar\n  baz         bang", task.description
   end
 
-  def test_task_brief_description_should_return_first_sentence_in_description
+  def test_brief_description_should_return_first_sentence_in_description
     desc = "This is the task. It does all kinds of things."
     task = new_task(:testing, @namespace, :desc => desc)
     assert_equal "This is the task.", task.brief_description
   end
 
-  def test_task_brief_description_should_truncate_if_length_given
+  def test_brief_description_should_truncate_if_length_given
     desc = "This is the task that does all kinds of things. And then some."
     task = new_task(:testing, @namespace, :desc => desc)
     assert_equal "This is the task ...", task.brief_description(20)
   end
+
+  def test_brief_description_should_not_break_at_period_in_middle_of_sentence
+    task = new_task(:testing, @namespace, :desc => "Take file.txt and copy it.")
+    assert_equal "Take file.txt and copy it.", task.brief_description
+
+    task = new_task(:testing, @namespace, :desc => "Take file.txt and copy it. Then do something else.")
+    assert_equal "Take file.txt and copy it.", task.brief_description
+  end
 end
\ No newline at end of file