diff --git a/taxonomy_menu.module b/taxonomy_menu.module
index 3d61099..4b809e6 100644
--- a/taxonomy_menu.module
+++ b/taxonomy_menu.module
@@ -848,13 +848,16 @@ function _taxonomy_menu_create_item($args = array(), $node) {
       $root_term_weight = 0;
     }
 
+    $buid_description = variable_get(_taxonomy_menu_build_variable('term_item_description', $term->vid), 0);
+    $description = ($buid_description && isset($term->description)) ? $term->description : '';
+
     foreach ($term->parents as $parent) {
       $ptid = $parent;
       // turn the term into the correct $item array form
       $item = array(
         'tid' => $term->tid,
         'name' => $term->name,
-        'description' => variable_get(_taxonomy_menu_build_variable('term_item_description', $term->vid), 0) ? $term->description : '',
+        'description' => $description,
         'weight' => $term->weight,
         'vid' => $term->vid,
         'ptid' => $ptid,