diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 71d2f30698e..1d583831156 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -1478,6 +1478,7 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
     remove_import_jid
     update_project_counter_caches
     after_create_default_branch
+    refresh_markdown_cache!
   end
 
   def update_project_counter_caches
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/import_export.yml b/lib/gitlab/import_export/import_export.yml
index 4bdd01f5e94..6a0a1b65fe9 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/import_export.yml
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/import_export.yml
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ excluded_attributes:
     - :last_repository_updated_at
     - :last_repository_check_at
     - :storage_version
+    - :description_html
   snippets:
     - :expired_at
   merge_request_diff:
@@ -144,8 +145,6 @@ methods:
     - :diff_head_sha
     - :source_branch_sha
     - :target_branch_sha
-  project:
-    - :description_html
   events:
     - :action
   push_event_payload:
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer.rb
index fb37e728485..2c315207298 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer.rb
@@ -83,13 +83,7 @@ module Gitlab
       end
 
       def restore_project
-        params = project_params.symbolize_keys
-
-        if params[:description].present?
-          params[:description_html] = nil
-        end
-
-        @project.update_columns(params)
+        @project.update_columns(project_params)
         @project
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project.json b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project.json
index 382a562224a..8c1bf6f7be8 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project.json
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project.json
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   "description": "Nisi et repellendus ut enim quo accusamus vel magnam.",
   "visibility_level": 10,
   "archived": false,
-  "description_html": "<p dir=\"auto\">Nisi et repellendus ut enim quo accusamus vel magnam.</p>",
   "labels": [
     {
       "id": 2,
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer_spec.rb
index 55373dcb2c8..13a8c9adcee 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_restorer_spec.rb
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::ProjectTreeRestorer do
         expect(Project.find_by_path('project').description).to eq('Nisi et repellendus ut enim quo accusamus vel magnam.')
       end
 
-      it 'has the project html description' do
-        expected_description_html = "<p dir=\"auto\">Nisi et repellendus ut enim quo accusamus vel magnam.</p>"
-        expect(Project.find_by_path('project').description_html).to eq(expected_description_html)
-      end
-
       it 'has the same label associated to two issues' do
         expect(ProjectLabel.find_by_title('test2').issues.count).to eq(2)
       end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_saver_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_saver_spec.rb
index 0d20a551e2a..2b8a11ce8f9 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_saver_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/project_tree_saver_spec.rb
@@ -245,10 +245,6 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::ProjectTreeSaver do
       end
 
       context 'project attributes' do
-        it 'contains the html description' do
-          expect(saved_project_json).to include("description_html" => 'description')
-        end
-
         it 'does not contain the runners token' do
           expect(saved_project_json).not_to include("runners_token" => 'token')
         end
@@ -274,7 +270,6 @@ describe Gitlab::ImportExport::ProjectTreeSaver do
                      releases: [release],
                      group: group
                     )
-    project.update_column(:description_html, 'description')
     project_label = create(:label, project: project)
     group_label = create(:group_label, group: group)
     create(:label_link, label: project_label, target: issue)
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index 0e560be9eaa..af5b1654b65 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -3227,6 +3227,7 @@ describe Project do
       expect(project).to receive(:update_project_counter_caches)
       expect(project).to receive(:remove_import_jid)
       expect(project).to receive(:after_create_default_branch)
+      expect(project).to receive(:refresh_markdown_cache!)
 
       project.after_import
     end