diff --git a/lib/py/setup.py b/lib/py/setup.py
index 0db9731..7cd4a2e 100644
--- a/lib/py/setup.py
+++ b/lib/py/setup.py
@@ -62,6 +62,20 @@
             raise BuildFailed()
 
 
+def read_file(path):
+    """
+    Return the contents of a file
+
+    Arguments:
+      - path: path to the file
+
+    Returns:
+      - contents of the file
+    """
+    with open(path, "r") as desc_file:
+        return desc_file.read().rstrip()
+
+
 def run_setup(with_binary):
     if with_binary:
         extensions = dict(
@@ -93,6 +107,8 @@
     setup(name='thrift',
           version='0.16.0',
           description='Python bindings for the Apache Thrift RPC system',
+          long_description=read_file("README.md"),
+          long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
           author='Apache Thrift Developers',
           author_email='dev@thrift.apache.org',
           url='http://thrift.apache.org',