diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/badge.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/badge.js
index 0326351207f..f95775b681c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/badge.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/badge.js
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ Discourse.Badge = Discourse.Model.extend({
   }.property('name', 'i18nNameKey'),
 
   /**
-    The i18n translated description for this badge. `null` if no translation exists.
+    The i18n translated description for this badge. Returns the original
+    description if no translation exists.
 
     @property translatedDescription
     @type {String}
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ Discourse.Badge = Discourse.Model.extend({
     var i18nKey = "badges.badge." + this.get('i18nNameKey') + ".description",
         translation = I18n.t(i18nKey);
     if (translation.indexOf(i18nKey) !== -1) {
-      translation = null;
+      translation = this.get('description');
     }
     return translation;
   }.property('i18nNameKey'),
diff --git a/test/javascripts/models/badge_test.js b/test/javascripts/models/badge_test.js
index 9e4eed9aeea..ff688ee8e92 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/models/badge_test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/models/badge_test.js
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ test('displayName', function() {
 });
 
 test('translatedDescription', function() {
-  var badge1 = Discourse.Badge.create({id: 1, name: "Test Badge 1"});
-  equal(badge1.get('translatedDescription'), null, "returns null when no translation exists");
+  var badge1 = Discourse.Badge.create({id: 1, name: "Test Badge 1", description: "TEST"});
+  equal(badge1.get('translatedDescription'), "TEST", "returns original description when no translation exists");
 
   var badge2 = Discourse.Badge.create({id: 2, name: "Test Badge 2 **"});
   this.stub(I18n, "t").returns("description translation");