diff --git a/meta/classes/package.bbclass b/meta/classes/package.bbclass
index bdc5d93f0b..e64e4419fc 100644
--- a/meta/classes/package.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/package.bbclass
@@ -289,6 +289,8 @@ python package_do_split_locales() {
 	if mainpkg.find('-dev'):
 		mainpkg = mainpkg.replace('-dev', '')
 
+	summary = bb.data.getVar('SUMMARY', d, True) or pn
+	description = bb.data.getVar('DESCRIPTION', d, True) or "" 
 	for l in locales:
 		ln = legitimize_package_name(l)
 		pkg = pn + '-locale-' + ln
@@ -296,7 +298,8 @@ python package_do_split_locales() {
 		bb.data.setVar('FILES_' + pkg, os.path.join(datadir, 'locale', l), d)
 		bb.data.setVar('RDEPENDS_' + pkg, '%s virtual-locale-%s' % (mainpkg, ln), d)
 		bb.data.setVar('RPROVIDES_' + pkg, '%s-locale %s-translation' % (pn, ln), d)
-		bb.data.setVar('DESCRIPTION_' + pkg, '%s translation for %s' % (l, pn), d)
+		bb.data.setVar('SUMMARY_' + pkg, '%s - %s translations' % (summary, l), d)
+		bb.data.setVar('DESCRIPTION_' + pkg, '%s  This package contains language translation files for the %s locale.' % (description, l), d)
 
 	bb.data.setVar('PACKAGES', ' '.join(packages), d)
 
diff --git a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
index 3292a49c0d..f08dda646d 100644
--- a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
@@ -166,14 +166,28 @@ BP = "${BPN}-${PV}"
 
 SECTION = "base"
 PRIORITY = "optional"
-SUMMARY_${PN} ?= "${PN} version ${PV}-${PR}"
-SUMMARY_${PN}-dbg ?= "Debugging files for ${PN}"
-SUMMARY_${PN}-dev ?= "Development files for ${PN}"
-SUMMARY_${PN}-doc ?= "Documentation files for ${PN}"
-DESCRIPTION_${PN} ?= "${SUMMARY_${PN}}"
-DESCRIPTION_${PN}-dbg ?= "${SUMMARY_${PN}-dbg}"
-DESCRIPTION_${PN}-dev ?= "${SUMMARY_${PN}-dev}"
-DESCRIPTION_${PN}-doc ?= "${SUMMARY_${PN}-doc}"
+SUMMARY ?= "${PN} version ${PV}-${PR}"
+DESCRIPTION ?= "${SUMMARY}"
+
+# The following two are commented out because they result in a recursive
+# definition of the variable in some corner cases.  These are left in
+# to illustrate the intended behavior.
+#SUMMARY_${PN} ?= "${SUMMARY}"
+#DESCRIPTION_${PN} ?= "${DESCRIPTION}"
+
+SUMMARY_${PN}-dbg ?= "${SUMMARY} - Debugging files"
+DESCRIPTION_${PN}-dbg ?= "${DESCRIPTION}  \
+This package contains ELF symbols and related sources for debugging purposes."
+
+SUMMARY_${PN}-dev ?= "${SUMMARY} - Development files"
+DESCRIPTION_${PN}-dev ?= "${DESCRIPTION}  \
+This package contains symbolic links, static binaries, header files, and \
+related items necessary for software development."
+
+SUMMARY_${PN}-doc ?= "${SUMMARY} - Documentation files"
+DESCRIPTION_${PN}-doc ?= "${DESCRIPTION}  \
+This package contains documentation."
+
 LICENSE = "INVALID"
 MAINTAINER = "Yocto Project Team <poky@yoctoproject.org>"
 HOMEPAGE = "unknown"