diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkFieldUITest.php b/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkFieldUITest.php
index 97fd9c8..b548aae 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkFieldUITest.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkFieldUITest.php
@@ -58,8 +58,12 @@ function testFieldUI() {
     // Add a link field to the newly-created type. It defaults to allowing both
     // internal and external links.
     $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
     $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
-    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link');
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
 
     // Load the formatter page to check that the settings summary does not
     // generate warnings.
@@ -67,11 +71,53 @@ function testFieldUI() {
     $this->drupalGet("$type_path/display");
     $this->assertText(t('Link text trimmed to @limit characters', array('@limit' => 80)));
 
-    // Test the help text displays when the link field allows both internal and
-    // external links.
+    // There are many combinations of UI settings, where the description should
+    // show: variation on internal, external, both; cardinality (where the
+    // fieldset is hidden or used); and link text shown (required or optional)
+    // or disabled. There are two descriptions: field and URL help text.
+
+    // Test descriptions show with defaults: internal and external, cardinality
+    // 1 (field set removed), link text shown.
+
     $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
     $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case internal and external allowed.
     $this->assertRaw('You can also enter an internal path such as <em class="placeholder">/node/add</em> or an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test descriptions show when external only, cardinality 1, link text
+    // shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
+    // external only links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
+
+    // Test the help text displays when link allows only external links.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case external only allowed.
+    $this->assertRaw('This must be an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test descriptions show when internal only, cardinality 1, link text
+    // shown.
 
     // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
     $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
@@ -84,14 +130,212 @@ function testFieldUI() {
     // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
     // external only links.
     $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
     $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
-    $field_edit = ['field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL];
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
     $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
 
+    // Test the help text displays when link allows only internal links.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // There is no help text for internal only links, an input field prefix is
+    // used instead. Test for the prefix.
+    // @todo Assert the prefix.
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test descriptions show when internal and external, cardinality 2 (URL
+    // field set is not removed), link text shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. It defaults to allowing both
+    // internal and external links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $storage_edit = ['field_storage[cardinality_number]' => 2];
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', $storage_edit, $field_edit);
+
+    // Test description shows with defaults: internal and external, cardinality
+    // 2, link text shown.
+
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case internal and external allowed.
+    $this->assertRaw('You can also enter an internal path such as <em class="placeholder">/node/add</em> or an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test description shows when external only, cardinality 2, link text
+    // shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
+    // external only links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $storage_edit = ['field_storage[cardinality_number]' => 2];
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', $storage_edit, $field_edit);
+
     // Test the help text displays when link allows only external links.
     $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
     $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case external only allowed.
     $this->assertRaw('This must be an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test description shows when internal only, cardinality 2, link text
+    // shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
+    // external only links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $storage_edit = ['field_storage[cardinality_number]' => 2];
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', $storage_edit, $field_edit);
+
+    // Test the help text displays when link allows only internal links.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // There is no help text for internal only links, an input field prefix is
+    // used instead. Test for the prefix.
+    // @todo Assert the prefix.
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test description shows when internal and external, cardinality 1 (URL
+    // field set is removed), link text not shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. It defaults to allowing both
+    // internal and external links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+      'field[settings][title]' => DRUPAL_DISABLED,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
+
+    // Test description shows with defaults: internal and external, cardinality
+    // 1, link text not shown.
+
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case internal and external allowed.
+    $this->assertRaw('You can also enter an internal path such as <em class="placeholder">/node/add</em> or an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test description shows when external only, cardinality 2, link text
+    // shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
+    // external only links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+      'field[settings][title]' => DRUPAL_DISABLED,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
+
+    // Test the help text displays when link allows only external links.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // Test URL help text is shown for the case external only allowed.
+    $this->assertRaw('This must be an external URL such as <em class="placeholder">http://example.com</em>.');
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
+
+    // Test description shows when internal only, cardinality 1, link text not
+    // shown.
+
+    // Log in an admin to set up the next content type.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+
+    // Add a different content type.
+    $type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+    $type_path = 'admin/structure/types/manage/' . $type->id();
+    $add_path = 'node/add/' . $type->id();
+
+    // Add a link field to the newly-created type. Specify it must allow
+    // external only links.
+    $label = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $description = $this->randomMachineName();
+    $field_name = Unicode::strtolower($label);
+    $field_edit = [
+      'field[settings][link_type]' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL,
+      'field[description]' => $description,
+      'field[settings][title]' => DRUPAL_DISABLED,
+    ];
+    $this->fieldUIAddNewField($type_path, $field_name, $label, 'link', array(), $field_edit);
+
+    // Test the help text displays when link allows only internal links.
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser(['create ' . $type->id() . ' content']));
+    $this->drupalGet($add_path);
+    // There is no help text for internal only links, an input field prefix is
+    // used instead. Test for the prefix.
+    // @todo Assert the prefix.
+    // Test field help text is shown.
+    $this->assertRaw($description);
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/MenuLinkContentFormTest.php b/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/MenuLinkContentFormTest.php
index 7129d38..d60cca7 100644
--- a/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/MenuLinkContentFormTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/MenuLinkContentFormTest.php
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ public function testMenuLinkContentForm() {
     $element = $this->xpath('//select[@id = :id]/option[@selected]', array(':id' => 'edit-menu-parent'));
     $this->assertTrue($element, 'A default menu parent was found.');
     $this->assertEqual('admin:', $element[0]['value'], '<Administration> menu is the parent.');
+    // Test the field description is present.
+    $this->assertRaw('The location this menu link points to.');
 
     $this->drupalPostForm(
       NULL,
diff --git a/core/modules/shortcut/src/Tests/ShortcutLinksTest.php b/core/modules/shortcut/src/Tests/ShortcutLinksTest.php
index bf98504..0d51c54 100644
--- a/core/modules/shortcut/src/Tests/ShortcutLinksTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/shortcut/src/Tests/ShortcutLinksTest.php
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ public function testShortcutLinkAdd() {
       '/admin/config/system/site-information',
     ];
 
+    // Test the add shortcut form UI. Test that the base field description is
+    // there.
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/config/user-interface/shortcut/manage/' . $set->id() . '/add-link');
+    $this->assertRaw('The location this shortcut points to.');
+
     // Check that each new shortcut links where it should.
     foreach ($test_cases as $test_path) {
       $title = $this->randomMachineName();