diff --git a/docs/en/04_defining-you-own-elements.md b/docs/en/04_defining-you-own-elements.md
index fb52099e..c5c5b37e 100644
--- a/docs/en/04_defining-you-own-elements.md
+++ b/docs/en/04_defining-you-own-elements.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class MyElement extends BaseElement
 
     private static $plural_name = 'my elements';
 
-    private static $description = 'What my custom element does';
+    private static $class_description = 'What my custom element does';
 
     public function getCMSFields()
     {
diff --git a/src/Models/BaseElement.php b/src/Models/BaseElement.php
index dc1adccf..867ac208 100644
--- a/src/Models/BaseElement.php
+++ b/src/Models/BaseElement.php
@@ -60,11 +60,8 @@ class BaseElement extends DataObject implements CMSPreviewable
 
     /**
      * Describe the purpose of this element
-     *
-     * @config
-     * @var string
      */
-    private static $description = 'Base element class';
+    private static $class_description = 'Base element class';
 
     /**
      * List of fields to exclude from CMS SiteTree seatch
@@ -1119,10 +1116,7 @@ public function getIcon()
      */
     public function getTypeNice()
     {
-        $description = $this->config()->uninherited('description');
-        if ($description) {
-            $description = _t(__CLASS__ . '.Description', $description);
-        }
+        $description = $this->i18n_classDescription();
         $markup = ($description) ? ' <span class="element__note"> &mdash; ' . $description . '</span>' : '';
 
         return DBField::create_field(
diff --git a/src/Models/ElementContent.php b/src/Models/ElementContent.php
index 3bf6486c..e79a31be 100644
--- a/src/Models/ElementContent.php
+++ b/src/Models/ElementContent.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class ElementContent extends BaseElement
 
     private static $plural_name = 'content blocks';
 
-    private static $description = 'HTML text block';
+    private static $class_description = 'HTML text block';
 
     /**
      * Re-title the HTML field to Content