diff --git a/bookwyrm/static/css/bookwyrm.css b/bookwyrm/static/css/bookwyrm.css
index 3db25d1f..8aa0530c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/static/css/bookwyrm.css
+++ b/bookwyrm/static/css/bookwyrm.css
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ body {
     flex-grow: 1;
 }
 
+.preserve-whitespace p {
+    white-space: pre-wrap !important;
+}
+
 /** Shelving
  ******************************************************************************/
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/directory/user_card.html b/bookwyrm/templates/directory/user_card.html
index c52c1f7a..3f7c10de 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/directory/user_card.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/directory/user_card.html
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
             </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div>
+        <div class="preserve-whitespace">
         {% if user.summary %}
             {{ user.summary|to_markdown|safe|truncatechars_html:40 }}
         {% else %}&nbsp;{% endif %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user/layout.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user/layout.html
index 69455806..3897983b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/user/layout.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user/layout.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         </div>
 
         {% if user.summary %}
-        <div class="column box has-background-white-bis content">
+        <div class="column box has-background-white-bis content preserve-whitespace">
             {{ user.summary|to_markdown|safe }}
         </div>
         {% endif %}