diff --git a/src/diagrams/user-journey/journeyDb.js b/src/diagrams/user-journey/journeyDb.js
index 55ea6ec3b..7b50b6ac4 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/user-journey/journeyDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/user-journey/journeyDb.js
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import mermaidAPI from '../../mermaidAPI';
 import * as configApi from '../../config';
 import common from '../common/common';
+import {
+  setTitle,
+  getTitle,
+  getAccDescription,
+  setAccDescription,
+  clear as commonClear,
+} from '../../commonDb';
 
 const sanitizeText = (txt) => common.sanitizeText(txt, configApi.getConfig());
 
@@ -23,22 +30,7 @@ export const clear = function () {
   title = '';
   description = '';
   rawTasks.length = 0;
-};
-
-const setTitle = function (txt) {
-  title = sanitizeText(txt);
-};
-
-const getTitle = function () {
-  return title;
-};
-
-const setAccDescription = function (txt) {
-  description = sanitizeText(txt);
-};
-
-const getAccDescription = function () {
-  return description;
+  commonClear();
 };
 
 export const addSection = function (txt) {
diff --git a/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.jison b/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.jison
index 37d493d3e..a60ae2ef8 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.jison
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
  */
 %lex
 %options case-insensitive
+%x acc_title
+%x acc_descr
+%x acc_descr_multiline
 
 // Directive states
 %x open_directive type_directive arg_directive
@@ -25,7 +28,13 @@
 
 "journey"               return 'journey';
 "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";
 "section"\s[^#:\n;]+    return 'section';
 [^#:\n;]+               return 'taskName';
 ":"[^#\n;]+             return 'taskData';
@@ -65,7 +74,9 @@ directive
 
 statement
   : title {yy.setTitle($1.substr(6));$$=$1.substr(6);}
-  | accDescription {yy.setAccDescription($1.substring(15));$$=$1.substring(15);}
+  | acc_title acc_title_value  { $$=$2.trim();yy.setTitle($$); }
+  | acc_descr acc_descr_value  { $$=$2.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
+  | acc_descr_multiline_value { $$=$1.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
   | section {yy.addSection($1.substr(8));$$=$1.substr(8);}
   | taskName taskData {yy.addTask($1, $2);$$='task';}
   | directive
diff --git a/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.spec.js b/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.spec.js
index 6cf604caf..3cd68acc7 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/user-journey/parser/journey.spec.js
@@ -19,15 +19,38 @@ describe('when parsing a journey diagram it', function () {
     expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
   });
 
-  it('it should handle an accDescription', function () {
+  it('it should handle an accessibility description (accDescr)', function () {
     const str =
       'journey\n' +
-      'accDescription A user journey for family shopping\n' +
+      'accDescr: A user journey for family shopping\n' +
       'title Adding journey diagram functionality to mermaid\n' +
       'section Order from website';
 
     expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
   });
+  it('it should handle an accessibility multiline description (accDescr)', function () {
+    const str =
+      'journey\n' +
+      `accDescr {
+        A user journey for
+        family shopping
+      }` +
+      'title Adding journey diagram functionality to mermaid\n' +
+      'section Order from website';
+
+    expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(journeyDb.getAccDescription()).toBe('A user journey for\nfamily shopping');
+    expect(journeyDb.getTitle()).toBe('Adding journey diagram functionality to mermaid');
+  });
+  it('it should handle an accessibility title (accDescr)', function () {
+    const str = `journey
+    accTitle: The title
+    section Order from website`;
+
+    expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(journeyDb.getAccDescription()).toBe('');
+    expect(journeyDb.getTitle()).toBe('The title');
+  });
 
   it('should handle a section definition', function () {
     const str =