diff --git a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index cf545fb7a3..0c7c0f03ab 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1574,11 +1574,11 @@ function get_term_to_edit( $id, $taxonomy ) {
  * @param array|string $args {
  *     Optional. Array or string of arguments to get terms.
  *
- *     @type string   $orderby               Field(s) to order terms by. Accepts term fields ('name', 'slug',
- *                                           'term_group', 'term_id', 'id'), 'count' for term taxonomy count,
- *                                           'include' to match the 'order' of the $include param, or 'none'
- *                                           to skip ORDER BY. Defaults to 'name'.
- *     @type string   $order                 Whether to order terms in ascending or descending order.
+ *     @type string       $orderby           Field(s) to order terms by. Accepts term fields ('name', 'slug',
+ *                                           'term_group', 'term_id', 'id', 'description'), 'count' for term
+ *                                           taxonomy count, 'include' to match the 'order' of the $include param,
+ *                                           or 'none' to skip ORDER BY. Defaults to 'name'.
+ *     @type string       $order             Whether to order terms in ascending or descending order.
  *                                           Accepts 'ASC' (ascending) or 'DESC' (descending).
  *                                           Default 'ASC'.
  *     @type bool|int     $hide_empty        Whether to hide terms not assigned to any posts. Accepts
@@ -1747,6 +1747,8 @@ function get_terms( $taxonomies, $args = '' ) {
 		$orderby = "FIELD( t.term_id, $include )";
 	} elseif ( 'term_group' == $_orderby ) {
 		$orderby = 't.term_group';
+	} elseif ( 'description' == $_orderby ) {
+		$orderby = 'tt.description';
 	} elseif ( 'none' == $_orderby ) {
 		$orderby = '';
 	} elseif ( empty($_orderby) || 'id' == $_orderby ) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/term/getTerms.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/term/getTerms.php
index ae8e71d4b4..2dbbaffa5d 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/term/getTerms.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/term/getTerms.php
@@ -1135,6 +1135,29 @@ class Tests_Term_getTerms extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertEquals( array( $t4, $t1, $t2 ), $found );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 31364
+	 */
+	public function test_orderby_description() {
+		$tax = 'wptests_tax';
+		register_taxonomy( $tax, 'post' );
+
+		$t1 = $this->factory->term->create( array( 'taxonomy' => $tax, 'description' => 'fff' ) );
+		$t2 = $this->factory->term->create( array( 'taxonomy' => $tax, 'description' => 'aaa' ) );
+		$t3 = $this->factory->term->create( array( 'taxonomy' => $tax, 'description' => 'zzz' ) );
+		$t4 = $this->factory->term->create( array( 'taxonomy' => $tax, 'description' => 'jjj' ) );
+
+		$found = get_terms( $tax, array(
+			'fields' => 'ids',
+			'orderby' => 'description',
+			'hide_empty' => false,
+		) );
+
+		_unregister_taxonomy( 'wptests_tax' );
+
+		$this->assertEquals( array( $t2, $t1, $t4, $t3 ), $found );
+	}
+
 	public function test_hierarchical_false_with_parent() {
 		$initial_terms = $this->create_hierarchical_terms();