diff --git a/include/mapnik/projection.hpp b/include/mapnik/projection.hpp
index 6dc4ad399..5b65ea8d8 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/projection.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/projection.hpp
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ class MAPNIK_DECL projection
     std::string const& params() const;
     void forward(double& x, double& y) const;
     void inverse(double& x, double& y) const;
-    std::string expanded() const;
+    std::string definition() const;
+    std::string description() const;
     void init_proj() const;
 
   private:
diff --git a/src/projection.cpp b/src/projection.cpp
index ceb826541..375b48db1 100644
--- a/src/projection.cpp
+++ b/src/projection.cpp
@@ -196,13 +196,27 @@ projection::~projection()
 #endif
 }
 
-std::string projection::expanded() const
+std::string projection::description() const
 {
 #ifdef MAPNIK_USE_PROJ
     if (proj_)
     {
         PJ_PROJ_INFO info = proj_pj_info(proj_);
-        return mapnik::util::trim_copy(info.definition);
+        if (std::strlen(info.description) > 0)
+            return mapnik::util::trim_copy(info.description);
+    }
+#endif
+    return std::string("Undefined");
+}
+
+std::string projection::definition() const
+{
+#ifdef MAPNIK_USE_PROJ
+    if (proj_)
+    {
+        PJ_PROJ_INFO info = proj_pj_info(proj_);
+        if (std::strlen(info.definition) > 0)
+            return mapnik::util::trim_copy(info.definition);
     }
 #endif
     return params_;