diff --git a/plugins/c9.cli.publish/publish.js b/plugins/c9.cli.publish/publish.js
index 9d11b867..81cb6459 100644
--- a/plugins/c9.cli.publish/publish.js
+++ b/plugins/c9.cli.publish/publish.js
@@ -267,19 +267,21 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
                 if (!json.categories || json.categories.length == 0)
                     return callback(new Error("ERROR: At least one category is required in package.json"));
                 
+                var description = json.description;
+                
+                if (description)
+                    console.warn("WARNING: Description property in package.json will be ignored. README.md will be used.");
+                
                 // Validate README.md
-                if (!fs.existsSync(join(cwd, "README.md"))) {
+                if (fs.existsSync(join(cwd, "README.md"))) {
+                    description = fs.readFileSync(join(cwd, "README.md"), "utf8")
+                        .replace(/^\#.*\n*/, "");
+                } else {
                     console.warn("WARNING: README.md is missing.");
                     if (!force)
                         return callback(new Error("Use --force to ignore these warnings."));
                 }
                 
-                if (json.description)
-                    console.warn("WARNING: Description property in package.json will be ignored. README.md will be used.");
-                
-                var description = fs.readFileSync(join(cwd, "README.md"), "utf8")
-                    .replace(/^\#.*\n*/, "");
-                
                 // Validate plugins
                 var plugins = {};