diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
index 720d0a6..68a498c 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class LinkItem extends FieldItemBase implements LinkItemInterface {
   public static function defaultFieldSettings() {
     return array(
       'title' => DRUPAL_OPTIONAL,
+      'description' => DRUPAL_OPTIONAL,
       'link_type' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC
     ) + parent::defaultFieldSettings();
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
index 915f696..f668ab1 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $elemen
       '#title' => $this->t('Link description'),
       '#default_value' => isset($items[$delta]->description) ? $items[$delta]->description : NULL,
       '#maxlength' => 255,
+      '#access' => $this->getFieldSetting('description') != DRUPAL_DISABLED,
     );
 
     // Post-process the title field to make it conditionally required if URL is