diff --git a/data/json/professions.json b/data/json/professions.json
index 9a3ffcaa3c658..200aa1ab53d26 100644
--- a/data/json/professions.json
+++ b/data/json/professions.json
@@ -3304,7 +3304,10 @@
     "type": "profession",
     "id": "reenactor",
     "name": { "male": "Historical Reenactor", "female": "Ahistorical Reenactor" },
-    "description": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world permanently derailed your plans.",
+    "description": {
+      "male": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world permanently derailed your plans.",
+      "female": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world made traditional gender roles obsolete."
+    },
     "points": 3,
     "proficiencies": [ "prof_gunsmithing_basic", "prof_metalworking", "prof_gunsmithing_antique" ],
     "skills": [
@@ -3348,7 +3351,10 @@
     "type": "profession",
     "id": "reenactor2",
     "name": { "male": "Ahistorical Reenactor", "female": "Historical Reenactor" },
-    "description": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world made traditional gender roles obsolete.",
+    "description": {
+      "male": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world made traditional gender roles obsolete.",
+      "female": "You were on your way to the Annual All New England Revolutionary War Living History exhibition when the end of the world permanently derailed your plans."
+    },
     "points": 3,
     "proficiencies": [ "prof_spinning", "prof_closures", "prof_knitting" ],
     "skills": [
diff --git a/src/profession.cpp b/src/profession.cpp
index 3d0e3c3f7e107..bf3046e92f9ab 100644
--- a/src/profession.cpp
+++ b/src/profession.cpp
@@ -166,11 +166,31 @@ void profession::load( const JsonObject &jo, const std::string & )
 
     if( !was_loaded || jo.has_member( "description" ) ) {
         std::string desc;
-        mandatory( jo, false, "description", desc, text_style_check_reader() );
+        std::string desc_male;
+        std::string desc_female;
+
+        bool use_default_description = true;
+        if( jo.has_object( "description" ) ) {
+            JsonObject desc_obj = jo.get_object( "description" );
+            desc_obj.allow_omitted_members();
+
+            if( desc_obj.has_member( "male" ) && desc_obj.has_member( "female" ) ) {
+                use_default_description = false;
+                mandatory( desc_obj, false, "male", desc_male, text_style_check_reader() );
+                mandatory( desc_obj, false, "female", desc_female, text_style_check_reader() );
+            }
+        }
+
+        if( use_default_description ) {
+            mandatory( jo, false, "description", desc, text_style_check_reader() );
+            desc_male = desc;
+            desc_female = desc;
+        }
         // These also may differ depending on the language settings!
-        _description_male = to_translation( "prof_desc_male", desc );
-        _description_female = to_translation( "prof_desc_female", desc );
+        _description_male = to_translation( "prof_desc_male", desc_male );
+        _description_female = to_translation( "prof_desc_female", desc_female );
     }
+
     if( jo.has_string( "vehicle" ) ) {
         _starting_vehicle = vproto_id( jo.get_string( "vehicle" ) );
     }