diff --git a/changelog.yaml b/changelog.yaml
index 6892e52..3d1c874 100644
--- a/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelog.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   date: TBA
   changes:
     - "Add `--scheduled-at` option to `toot post`, allows scheduling toots"
+    - "Add `--description` option to `toot post`, for adding descriptions to media attachments (thanks @ansuz)"
 
 0.27.0:
   date: 2020-06-15
diff --git a/toot/api.py b/toot/api.py
index 27d8c9d..da5f6f0 100644
--- a/toot/api.py
+++ b/toot/api.py
@@ -217,10 +217,11 @@ def anon_tag_timeline_generator(instance, hashtag, local=False, limit=20):
     return _anon_timeline_generator(instance, path, params)
 
 
-def upload_media(app, user, file):
-    return http.post(app, user, '/api/v1/media', files={
-        'file': file
-    }).json()
+def upload_media(app, user, file, description=None):
+    return http.post(app, user, '/api/v1/media',
+        data={'description': description},
+        files={'file': file}
+    ).json()
 
 
 def search(app, user, query, resolve):
diff --git a/toot/commands.py b/toot/commands.py
index c041ff9..d19cdae 100644
--- a/toot/commands.py
+++ b/toot/commands.py
@@ -87,15 +87,20 @@ def post(app, user, args):
     if not args.text and not sys.stdin.isatty():
         args.text = sys.stdin.read().rstrip()
 
-    if args.media:
-        media = [_do_upload(app, user, file) for file in args.media]
-        media_ids = [m["id"] for m in media]
-    else:
-        media = None
-        media_ids = None
+    # Match media to corresponding description and upload
+    media = args.media or []
+    descriptions = args.description or []
+    uploaded_media = []
 
-    if media and not args.text:
-        args.text = "\n".join(m['text_url'] for m in media)
+    for idx, file in enumerate(media):
+        description = descriptions[idx].strip() if idx < len(descriptions) else None
+        result = _do_upload(app, user, file, description)
+        uploaded_media.append(result)
+
+    media_ids = [m["id"] for m in uploaded_media]
+
+    if uploaded_media and not args.text:
+        args.text = "\n".join(m['text_url'] for m in uploaded_media)
 
     if args.editor:
         args.text = editor_input(args.editor, args.text)
@@ -210,7 +215,7 @@ def activate(app, user, args):
 
 
 def upload(app, user, args):
-    response = _do_upload(app, user, args.file)
+    response = _do_upload(app, user, args.file, args.description)
 
     msg = "Successfully uploaded media ID <yellow>{}</yellow>, type '<yellow>{}</yellow>'"
 
@@ -226,9 +231,9 @@ def search(app, user, args):
     print_search_results(response)
 
 
-def _do_upload(app, user, file):
+def _do_upload(app, user, file, description):
     print_out("Uploading media: <green>{}</green>".format(file.name))
-    return api.upload_media(app, user, file)
+    return api.upload_media(app, user, file, description=description)
 
 
 def _find_account(app, user, account_name):
diff --git a/toot/console.py b/toot/console.py
index 5e88a52..6a004ca 100644
--- a/toot/console.py
+++ b/toot/console.py
@@ -297,6 +297,12 @@ POST_COMMANDS = [
                 "help": "path to the media file to attach (specify multiple "
                         "times to attach up to 4 files)"
             }),
+            (["-d", "--description"], {
+                "action": "append",
+                "type": str,
+                "help": "plain-text description of the media for accessibility "
+                        "purposes, one per attached media"
+            }),
             (["-v", "--visibility"], {
                 "type": visibility,
                 "default": "public",
@@ -341,7 +347,11 @@ POST_COMMANDS = [
             (["file"], {
                 "help": "Path to the file to upload",
                 "type": FileType('rb')
-            })
+            }),
+            (["-d", "--description"], {
+                "type": str,
+                "help": "plain-text description of the media for accessibility purposes"
+            }),
         ],
         require_auth=True,
     ),