diff --git a/openedx/features/calendar_sync/ics.py b/openedx/features/calendar_sync/ics.py
index d36078181c..706b092768 100644
--- a/openedx/features/calendar_sync/ics.py
+++ b/openedx/features/calendar_sync/ics.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 import pytz
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
 from icalendar import Calendar, Event, vCalAddress, vText
 
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.courses import get_course_assignments
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ from openedx.core.djangolib.markup import HTML
 from . import get_calendar_event_id
 
 
-def generate_ics_for_event(uid, summary, url, now, start, organizer_name, organizer_email):
+def generate_ics_for_event(uid, title, course_name, now, start, organizer_name, organizer_email):
     """
     Generates an ics-formatted bytestring for the given assignment information.
 
@@ -30,9 +31,8 @@ def generate_ics_for_event(uid, summary, url, now, start, organizer_name, organi
     event.add('uid', uid)
     event.add('dtstamp', now)
     event.add('organizer', organizer, encode=0)
-    event.add('summary', summary)
-    # FIXME description should be translated if we use hardcoded text, once we finalize that text
-    event.add('description', HTML('<a href="{url}">Link</a>').format(url=url))
+    event.add('summary', title)
+    event.add('description', HTML(_('{assignment} is due for {course}.')).format(assignment=title, course=course_name))
     event.add('dtstart', start)
     event.add('duration', timedelta(0))
     event.add('transp', 'TRANSPARENT')  # available, rather than busy
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def generate_ics_for_event(uid, summary, url, now, start, organizer_name, organi
     return cal.to_ical()
 
 
-def generate_ics_for_user_course(course_key, user, request):
+def generate_ics_for_user_course(course, user, request):
     """
     Generates ics-formatted bytestrings of all assignments for a given course and user.
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def generate_ics_for_user_course(course_key, user, request):
 
     Returns an iterable of ics files, each one representing an assignment.
     """
-    assignments = get_course_assignments(course_key, user, request)
+    assignments = get_course_assignments(course.id, user, request)
     platform_name = get_value('platform_name', settings.PLATFORM_NAME)
     platform_email = get_value('email_from_address', settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL)
     now = datetime.now(pytz.utc)
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ def generate_ics_for_user_course(course_key, user, request):
             organizer_name=platform_name,
             organizer_email=platform_email,
             start=assignment.date,
-            summary=assignment.title,
+            title=assignment.title,
+            course_name=course.display_name_with_default,
             uid=get_calendar_event_id(user, str(assignment.block_key), 'due', request.site.domain),
-            url=assignment.url,
         )
         for assignment in assignments
     )
diff --git a/openedx/features/calendar_sync/tests/test_ics.py b/openedx/features/calendar_sync/tests/test_ics.py
index 9d70b38ea2..8fa356fba2 100644
--- a/openedx/features/calendar_sync/tests/test_ics.py
+++ b/openedx/features/calendar_sync/tests/test_ics.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from freezegun import freeze_time
 from mock import patch
 
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.courses import _Assignment
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.tests.factories import CourseOverviewFactory
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.site_configuration.tests.factories import SiteFactory
 from openedx.features.calendar_sync import get_calendar_event_id
 from openedx.features.calendar_sync.ics import generate_ics_for_user_course
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ class TestIcsGeneration(TestCase):
         self.addCleanup(freezer.stop)
         freezer.start()
 
+        self.course = CourseOverviewFactory()
+
         self.user = UserFactory()
         self.request = RequestFactory().request()
         self.request.site = SiteFactory()
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:{timedue}
 DURATION:P0D
 DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20131003T082455Z
 UID:{uid}
-DESCRIPTION:<a href="{url}">Link</a>
+DESCRIPTION:{summary} is due for {course}.
 ORGANIZER;CN=édX:mailto:registration@example.com
 TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
 END:VEVENT
@@ -53,8 +56,8 @@ END:VCALENDAR
         return (
             template.format(
                 summary=assignment.title,
+                course=self.course.display_name_with_default,
                 timedue=assignment.date.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ'),
-                url=assignment.url,
                 uid=get_calendar_event_id(self.user, str(assignment.block_key), 'due', self.request.site.domain),
             )
             for assignment in assignments
@@ -64,7 +67,7 @@ END:VCALENDAR
         """ Uses generate_ics_for_user_course to create ics files for the given assignments """
         with patch('openedx.features.calendar_sync.ics.get_course_assignments') as mock_get_assignments:
             mock_get_assignments.return_value = assignments
-            return generate_ics_for_user_course('a/b/c', self.user, self.request)
+            return generate_ics_for_user_course(self.course, self.user, self.request)
 
     def assert_ics(self, *assignments):
         """ Asserts that the generated and expected ics for the given assignments are equal """