diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js b/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
index 3c0097aed..6576f5a50 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ import * as configApi from '../../config';
 import common from '../common/common';
 import utils from '../../utils';
 import mermaidAPI from '../../mermaidAPI';
+import {
+  setTitle,
+  getTitle,
+  getAccDescription,
+  setAccDescription,
+  clear as commonClear,
+} from '../../commonDb';
 
 const MERMAID_DOM_ID_PREFIX = 'classid-';
 
@@ -77,6 +84,7 @@ export const clear = function () {
   classes = {};
   funs = [];
   funs.push(setupToolTips);
+  commonClear();
 };
 
 export const getClass = function (id) {
@@ -134,6 +142,7 @@ export const addAnnotation = function (className, annotation) {
  * @public
  */
 export const addMember = function (className, member) {
+  console.log(className, member);
   const validatedClassName = splitClassNameAndType(className).className;
   const theClass = classes[validatedClassName];
 
@@ -345,28 +354,6 @@ const setDirection = (dir) => {
   direction = dir;
 };
 
-let title = '';
-
-export const setTitle = function (txt) {
-  let sanitizedText = sanitizeText(txt, configApi.getConfig());
-  title = sanitizedText;
-};
-
-export const getTitle = function () {
-  return title;
-};
-
-let accDescription = '';
-
-export const setAccDescription = function (txt) {
-  let sanitizedText = sanitizeText(txt, configApi.getConfig());
-  accDescription = sanitizedText;
-};
-
-export const getAccDescription = function () {
-  return accDescription;
-};
-
 export default {
   parseDirective,
   setTitle,
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
index fdf347b67..b9ccfe991 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
@@ -543,20 +543,33 @@ foo()
       expect(relations[0].relation.lineType).toBe(classDb.lineType.LINE);
     });
 
-    it('should have a title and accDescription', function () {
-      const str =
-        'classDiagram\n' +
-        'class Car~T~\n' +
-        'title My Title\n' +
-        'accDescription My Description\n';
-      'Car : -List~Wheel~ wheels\n' +
-        'Car : +setWheels(List~Wheel~ wheels)\n' +
-        'Car : +getWheels() List~Wheel~';
+    it('should handle accTitle and accDescr', function () {
+      const str = `classDiagram
+            accTitle: My Title
+            accDescr: My Description
+
+            Class01 <|-- Class02
+            `;
 
       parser.parse(str);
       expect(parser.yy.getTitle()).toBe('My Title');
       expect(parser.yy.getAccDescription()).toBe('My Description');
     });
+    it('should handle accTitle and multiline accDescr', function () {
+      const str = `classDiagram
+            accTitle: My Title
+            accDescr {
+              This is mu multi
+              line description
+            }
+
+            Class01 <|-- Class02
+            `;
+
+      parser.parse(str);
+      expect(parser.yy.getTitle()).toBe('My Title');
+      expect(parser.yy.getAccDescription()).toBe('This is mu multi\nline description');
+    });
 
     it('should handle relation definitions AGGREGATION and dotted line', function () {
       const str = 'classDiagram\n' + 'Class01 o.. Class02';
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison b/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
index 8c59adcce..e298dd2f0 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 %x open_directive
 %x type_directive
 %x arg_directive
-
+%x acc_title
+%x acc_descr
+%x acc_descr_multiline
 %%
 \%\%\{                                                          { this.begin('open_directive'); return 'open_directive'; }
 .*direction\s+TB[^\n]*                                          return 'direction_tb';
@@ -29,8 +31,13 @@
 <arg_directive>((?:(?!\}\%\%).|\n)*)                            return 'arg_directive';
 \%\%(?!\{)*[^\n]*(\r?\n?)+                                      /* skip comments */
 \%\%[^\n]*(\r?\n)*                                              /* skip comments */
-"title"\s[^#\n;]+       return 'title';
-"accDescription"\s[^#\n;]+       return 'accDescription';
+accTitle\s*":"\s*                                               { this.begin("acc_title");return 'acc_title'; }
+<acc_title>(?!\n|;|#)*[^\n]*                                    { this.popState(); return "acc_title_value"; }
+accDescr\s*":"\s*                                               { this.begin("acc_descr");return 'acc_descr'; }
+<acc_descr>(?!\n|;|#)*[^\n]*                                    { this.popState(); return "acc_descr_value"; }
+accDescr\s*"{"\s*                                { this.begin("acc_descr_multiline");}
+<acc_descr_multiline>[\}]                       { this.popState(); }
+<acc_descr_multiline>[^\}]*                     return "acc_descr_multiline_value";
 
 \s*(\r?\n)+                return 'NEWLINE';
 \s+                     /* skip whitespace */
@@ -256,9 +263,9 @@ statement
     | cssClassStatement
     | directive
     | direction
-    | title {yy.setTitle($1.substring(6));$$=$1.substring(6);}
-	| accDescription {yy.setAccDescription($1.substring(15));$$=$1.substring(15);}
-
+    | acc_title acc_title_value  { console.log('acc_title');$$=$2.trim();yy.setTitle($$); }
+    | acc_descr acc_descr_value  { console.log('acc_descr');$$=$2.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
+    | acc_descr_multiline_value { console.log('acc_descr_multiline_value');$$=$1.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
     ;
 
 classStatement