diff --git a/Modules/CPackDeb.cmake b/Modules/CPackDeb.cmake
index f248a674c..24452a631 100644
--- a/Modules/CPackDeb.cmake
+++ b/Modules/CPackDeb.cmake
@@ -15,9 +15,15 @@
 # the build system.
 #
 # CPackDeb has specific features which are controlled by the specifics
-# CPACK_DEBIAN_XXX variables.You'll find a detailed usage on the wiki:
-# http://www.cmake.org/Wiki/CMake:CPackPackageGenerators#DEB_.28UNIX_only.29
+# :code:`CPACK_DEBIAN_XXX` variables.
 #
+# :code:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_XXXX` variables may be used in order to have
+# **component** specific values.  Note however that <COMPONENT> refers to the
+# **grouping name** written in upper case. It may be either a component name or
+# a component GROUP name.
+#
+# You'll find a detailed usage on the wiki:
+# http://www.cmake.org/Wiki/CMake:CPackPackageGenerators#DEB_.28UNIX_only.29 .
 # However as a handy reminder here comes the list of specific variables:
 #
 # .. variable:: CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_NAME
@@ -56,12 +62,16 @@
 #  The debian package maintainer
 #
 # .. variable:: CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
-#
-#  * Mandatory : YES
-#  * Default   : CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY
+#               CPACK_COMPONENT_<COMPONENT>_DESCRIPTION
 #
 #  The debian package description
 #
+#  * Mandatory : YES
+#  * Default   :
+#
+#    - :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION` if set or
+#    - :variable:`CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY`
+#
 # .. variable:: CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_SECTION
 #
 #  * Mandatory : YES
@@ -379,11 +389,26 @@ function(cpack_deb_prepare_package_vars)
   endif()
 
   # Description: (mandatory)
-  if(NOT CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION)
-    if(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
-      message(FATAL_ERROR "CPackDeb: Debian package requires a summary for a package, set CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY or CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION")
+  if(NOT CPACK_DEB_PACKAGE_COMPONENT)
+    if(NOT CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION)
+      if(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "CPackDeb: Debian package requires a summary for a package, set CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY or CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION")
+      endif()
+      set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY})
+    endif()
+  else()
+    string(TOUPPER ${CPACK_DEB_PACKAGE_COMPONENT} _local_component_name)
+    set(component_description_var CPACK_COMPONENT_${_local_component_name}_DESCRIPTION)
+
+    # component description overrides package description
+    if(${component_description_var})
+      set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION ${${component_description_var}})
+    elseif(NOT CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION)
+      if(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "CPackDeb: Debian package requires a summary for a package, set CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY or CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION or ${component_description_var}")
+      endif()
+      set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY})
     endif()
-    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY})
   endif()
 
   # Section: (recommended)
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 32beffa80..07545ae26 100644
--- a/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1008,7 +1008,9 @@ ${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/bin/cmake -DDIR=dev -P ${CMake_SOURCE_DIR}/Utilities/Release
     if(DPKG_EXECUTABLE)
       unset(CPackRun_CPackDEBConfiguration_ALL_CONFIGS)
       set(DEB_TEST_NAMES "CPackComponentsDEB")
-      set(DEB_CONFIGURATIONS_TO_TEST "components-lintian-dpkgdeb-checks")
+      set(DEB_CONFIGURATIONS_TO_TEST "components-lintian-dpkgdeb-checks"
+                                     "components-description1"
+                                     "components-description2")
       set(CPackGen "DEB")
       set(CPackRun_CPackGen "-DCPackGen=${CPackGen}")
 
diff --git a/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description1.cmake.in b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description1.cmake.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..74d816cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description1.cmake.in
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#
+# Activate component packaging
+#
+
+if(CPACK_GENERATOR MATCHES "DEB")
+   set(CPACK_DEB_COMPONENT_INSTALL "ON")
+endif()
+
+#
+# Choose grouping way
+#
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL_GROUPS_IN_ONE_PACKAGE)
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_GROUPING)
+set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_IGNORE_GROUPS 1)
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL_IN_ONE_PACKAGE 1)
+
+# overriding previous descriptions
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY           "main description")
+set(CPACK_COMPONENT_APPLICATIONS_DESCRIPTION    "applications_description")
+set(CPACK_COMPONENT_HEADERS_DESCRIPTION         "headers_description")
+# libraries does not have any description and should inherit from CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY
+unset(CPACK_COMPONENT_LIBRARIES_DESCRIPTION)
diff --git a/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description2.cmake.in b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description2.cmake.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cda79bc02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/MyLibCPackConfig-components-description2.cmake.in
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#
+# Activate component packaging
+#
+
+if(CPACK_GENERATOR MATCHES "DEB")
+   set(CPACK_DEB_COMPONENT_INSTALL "ON")
+endif()
+
+#
+# Choose grouping way
+#
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL_GROUPS_IN_ONE_PACKAGE)
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_GROUPING)
+set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_IGNORE_GROUPS 1)
+#set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL_IN_ONE_PACKAGE 1)
+
+# overriding previous descriptions
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY           "main description 2")
+
+# Components do not have any description
+unset(CPACK_COMPONENT_APPLICATIONS_DESCRIPTION)
+unset(CPACK_COMPONENT_HEADERS_DESCRIPTION)
+unset(CPACK_COMPONENT_LIBRARIES_DESCRIPTION)
+
+
+set(CPACK_COMPONENT_LIBRARIES_DESCRIPTION       "library description")
diff --git a/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description1.cmake b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description1.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6335029e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description1.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+if(NOT CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR not set")
+endif()
+
+include(${CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR}/RunCPackVerifyResult.cmake)
+
+
+# expected results
+set(expected_file_mask "${CPackComponentsDEB_BINARY_DIR}/MyLib-*.deb")
+set(expected_count 3)
+
+
+set(actual_output)
+run_cpack(actual_output
+          CPack_output
+          CPack_error
+          EXPECTED_FILE_MASK "${expected_file_mask}"
+          CONFIG_ARGS ${config_args}
+          CONFIG_VERBOSE ${config_verbose})
+
+
+if(NOT actual_output)
+  message(STATUS "expected_count='${expected_count}'")
+  message(STATUS "expected_file_mask='${expected_file_mask}'")
+  message(STATUS "actual_output_files='${actual_output}'")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "error: expected_files do not exist: CPackComponentsDEB test fails. (CPack_output=${CPack_output}, CPack_error=${CPack_error}")
+endif()
+
+list(LENGTH actual_output actual_count)
+if(NOT actual_count EQUAL expected_count)
+  message(STATUS "actual_count='${actual_count}'")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "error: expected_count=${expected_count} does not match actual_count=${actual_count}: CPackComponents test fails. (CPack_output=${CPack_output}, CPack_error=${CPack_error})")
+endif()
+
+
+# dpkg-deb checks for the summary of the packages
+find_program(DPKGDEB_EXECUTABLE dpkg-deb)
+if(DPKGDEB_EXECUTABLE)
+  set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all "")
+  foreach(_f IN LISTS actual_output)
+
+    # extracts the metadata from the package
+    run_dpkgdeb(dpkg_output
+                FILENAME ${_f}
+                )
+
+    dpkgdeb_return_specific_metaentry(dpkg_package_name
+                                      DPKGDEB_OUTPUT "${dpkg_output}"
+                                      METAENTRY "Package:")
+
+    dpkgdeb_return_specific_metaentry(dpkg_description
+                                      DPKGDEB_OUTPUT "${dpkg_output}"
+                                      METAENTRY "Description:")
+
+    message(STATUS "package='${dpkg_package_name}', description='${dpkg_description}'")
+
+    if("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-applications")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "applications_description")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != applications_description")
+      endif()
+    elseif("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-headers")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "headers_description")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != headers_description")
+      endif()
+    elseif("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-libraries")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "main description")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != 'main description'")
+      endif()
+    else()
+      set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                    "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: component name not found: ${dpkg_package_name}\n")
+    endif()
+
+  endforeach()
+
+
+  if(NOT "${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}" STREQUAL "")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "dpkg-deb checks failed:\n${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}")
+  endif()
+else()
+  message("dpkg-deb executable not found - skipping dpkg-deb test")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description2.cmake b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description2.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d0929649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CPackComponentsDEB/RunCPackVerifyResult-components-description2.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+if(NOT CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR not set")
+endif()
+
+include(${CPackComponentsDEB_SOURCE_DIR}/RunCPackVerifyResult.cmake)
+
+
+
+# expected results
+set(expected_file_mask "${CPackComponentsDEB_BINARY_DIR}/MyLib-*.deb")
+set(expected_count 3)
+
+
+set(actual_output)
+run_cpack(actual_output
+          CPack_output
+          CPack_error
+          EXPECTED_FILE_MASK "${expected_file_mask}"
+          CONFIG_ARGS ${config_args}
+          CONFIG_VERBOSE ${config_verbose})
+
+if(NOT actual_output)
+  message(STATUS "expected_count='${expected_count}'")
+  message(STATUS "expected_file_mask='${expected_file_mask}'")
+  message(STATUS "actual_output_files='${actual_output}'")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "error: expected_files do not exist: CPackComponentsDEB test fails. (CPack_output=${CPack_output}, CPack_error=${CPack_error}")
+endif()
+
+list(LENGTH actual_output actual_count)
+message(STATUS "actual_count='${actual_count}'")
+if(NOT actual_count EQUAL expected_count)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "error: expected_count=${expected_count} does not match actual_count=${actual_count}: CPackComponents test fails. (CPack_output=${CPack_output}, CPack_error=${CPack_error})")
+endif()
+
+
+# dpkg-deb checks for the summary of the packages
+find_program(DPKGDEB_EXECUTABLE dpkg-deb)
+if(DPKGDEB_EXECUTABLE)
+  set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all "")
+  foreach(_f IN LISTS actual_output)
+
+    # extracts the metadata from the package
+    run_dpkgdeb(dpkg_output
+                FILENAME ${_f}
+                )
+
+    dpkgdeb_return_specific_metaentry(dpkg_package_name
+                                      DPKGDEB_OUTPUT "${dpkg_output}"
+                                      METAENTRY "Package:")
+
+    dpkgdeb_return_specific_metaentry(dpkg_description
+                                      DPKGDEB_OUTPUT "${dpkg_output}"
+                                      METAENTRY "Description:")
+
+    message(STATUS "package='${dpkg_package_name}', description='${dpkg_description}'")
+
+    if("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-applications")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "main description 2")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != applications_description")
+      endif()
+    elseif("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-headers")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "main description 2")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != headers_description")
+      endif()
+    elseif("${dpkg_package_name}" STREQUAL "mylib-libraries")
+      if(NOT "${dpkg_description}" STREQUAL "library description")
+        set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                      "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: Incorrect description for package ${dpkg_package_name}: ${dpkg_description} != 'main description'")
+      endif()
+    else()
+      set(dpkgdeb_output_errors_all ${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}
+                                    "dpkg-deb: ${_f}: component name not found: ${dpkg_package_name}\n")
+    endif()
+
+  endforeach()
+
+
+  if(NOT "${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}" STREQUAL "")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "dpkg-deb checks failed:\n${dpkgdeb_output_errors_all}")
+  endif()
+else()
+  message("dpkg-deb executable not found - skipping dpkg-deb test")
+endif()