diff --git a/modules/mailchimp_signup/includes/mailchimp_signup.admin.inc b/modules/mailchimp_signup/includes/mailchimp_signup.admin.inc
index fc31e7e..6f624b3 100644
--- a/modules/mailchimp_signup/includes/mailchimp_signup.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/mailchimp_signup/includes/mailchimp_signup.admin.inc
@@ -36,9 +36,10 @@ function mailchimp_signup_form($form, &$form_state, MailchimpSignup $signup) {
     '#description' => t('A unique machine-readable name for this list. It must only contain lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores.'),
   );
   $form['description'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'textarea',
+    '#type' => 'text_format',
     '#title' => t('Description'),
     '#default_value' => isset($signup->settings['description']) ? $signup->settings['description'] : '',
+    '#format' => isset($signup->settings['description_text_format']) ? $signup->settings['description_text_format'] : 'plain_text',
     '#rows' => 2,
     '#maxlength' => 500,
     '#description' => t('This description will be shown on the signup form below the title. (500 characters or less)'),
@@ -255,7 +256,8 @@ function mailchimp_signup_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $signup->mc_lists = array_filter($form_state['values']['mc_lists']);
   $signup->settings = $form_state['values']['settings'];
   $signup->settings['mergefields'] = $mergefields;
-  $signup->settings['description'] = $form_state['values']['description'];
+  $signup->settings['description'] = $form_state['values']['description']['value'];
+  $signup->settings['description_text_format'] = $form_state['values']['description']['format'];
   $signup->settings['doublein'] = $form_state['values']['doublein'];
   $signup->settings['send_welcome'] = $form_state['values']['send_welcome'];
   $signup->settings['include_interest_groups'] = $form_state['values']['include_interest_groups'];
diff --git a/modules/mailchimp_signup/mailchimp_signup.module b/modules/mailchimp_signup/mailchimp_signup.module
index 53a803f..6632967 100644
--- a/modules/mailchimp_signup/mailchimp_signup.module
+++ b/modules/mailchimp_signup/mailchimp_signup.module
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ function mailchimp_signup_forms($form_id, $args) {
 function mailchimp_signup_subscribe_form($form, &$form_state, $signup, $type) {
   $form['#attributes'] = array('class' => array('mailchimp-signup-subscribe-form'));
   $form['description'] = array(
-    '#markup' => filter_xss($signup->settings['description']),
+    '#markup' => check_markup($signup->settings['description'], isset($signup->settings['description_text_format']) ? $signup->settings['description_text_format'] : 'plain_text'),
   );
   $form['mailchimp_lists'] = array('#tree' => TRUE);
   $lists = mailchimp_get_lists($signup->mc_lists);