diff --git a/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim b/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
index d6b8914..6bb9fa1 100644
--- a/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
+++ b/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ func subCmdsArray(cfg: CliCfg): NimNode =
   result = newTree(nnkBracket)
   for s in cfg.subcommands:
     let cmd = newLit(s.subName)
-    let desc = s.desc
+    let desc = s.desc or newLit("")
     result.add quote do:
       (`cmd`, `desc`)