diff --git a/lib/markdownBuilder.js b/lib/markdownBuilder.js
index a8bde8c8..428cb09e 100644
--- a/lib/markdownBuilder.js
+++ b/lib/markdownBuilder.js
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ function build({
         ];
       }))),
       ...flist(flat(Object.entries(patternProperties || {}).map(([name, definition]) => {
-        const description = definition[s.meta].longdescription || paragraph(text(i18n`no description`));
+        const description = definition[s.meta] && definition[s.meta].longdescription ? definition[s.meta].longdescription : paragraph(text(i18n`no description`));
 
         return [
           heading(level + 1, [text(i18n`Pattern: `), inlineCode(name)]),