diff --git a/project_initialization.py b/project_initialization.py
index bc7a84f3b..63c70812f 100644
--- a/project_initialization.py
+++ b/project_initialization.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def run(self):
               'password'	: config['catalog_pass'],
               'name'		: self.name,
               'organization'	: self.organization,
-              'description'	: self.description,
+              'description'	: self.description.replace("\"", "\\\""),
               'alias'		: self.alias}
     shellout_no_stdout(command, **kwargs)
     
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def run(self):
               'user'		: config['catalog_user'],
               'password'	: config['catalog_pass'],
               'name'		: self.name,
-              'description'	: self.description,
+              'description'	: self.description.replace("\"", "\\\""),
               'alias'		: self.alias,
               'project-alias'	: self.project_alias}