diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/_codebuild-factory.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/_codebuild-factory.ts
index 294a8844b81bb..5d73e23784314 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/_codebuild-factory.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/_codebuild-factory.ts
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ export class CodeBuildFactory implements ICodePipelineActionFactory {
 
     const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(projectScope, this.constructId, {
       projectName: this.props.projectName,
+      description: `Pipeline step ${options.pipeline.pipeline.pipelineName}/${stage.stageName}/${actionName}`,
       environment,
       vpc: projectOptions.vpc,
       subnetSelection: projectOptions.subnetSelection,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
index c905c3cbc4cfa..01069ee7adee0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,28 @@ test('additionalinputs creates the right commands', () => {
   });
 });
 
+test('CodeBuild projects have a description', () => {
+  new cdkp.CodePipeline(pipelineStack, 'Pipeline', {
+    synth: new cdkp.CodeBuildStep('Synth', {
+      commands: ['/bin/true'],
+      input: cdkp.CodePipelineSource.gitHub('test/test', 'main'),
+    }),
+  });
+
+  // THEN
+  Template.fromStack(pipelineStack).hasResourceProperties(
+    'AWS::CodeBuild::Project',
+    {
+      Description: {
+        'Fn::Join': [
+          '',
+          ['Pipeline step ', { Ref: 'Pipeline9850B417' }, '/Build/Synth'],
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  );
+});
+
 test('long duration steps are supported', () => {
   // WHEN
   new cdkp.CodePipeline(pipelineStack, 'Pipeline', {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline-with-vpc.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline-with-vpc.expected.json
index c0d89b2bf135a..1b6de60c8e589 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline-with-vpc.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline-with-vpc.expected.json
@@ -1355,6 +1355,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/Build/Synth"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3",
         "VpcConfig": {
           "SecurityGroupIds": [
@@ -1942,6 +1954,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/UpdatePipeline/SelfMutate"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3",
         "VpcConfig": {
           "SecurityGroupIds": [
@@ -2284,6 +2308,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/Assets/FileAsset1"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3",
         "VpcConfig": {
           "SecurityGroupIds": [
@@ -2385,6 +2421,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/Assets/FileAsset2"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3",
         "VpcConfig": {
           "SecurityGroupIds": [
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline.expected.json
index 6e12dae20df4d..6e8c76b176b7f 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/integ.newpipeline.expected.json
@@ -2036,6 +2036,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/Build/Synth"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3"
       }
     },
@@ -2335,6 +2347,18 @@
         "Cache": {
           "Type": "NO_CACHE"
         },
+        "Description": {
+          "Fn::Join": [
+            "",
+            [
+              "Pipeline step ",
+              {
+                "Ref": "Pipeline9850B417"
+              },
+              "/UpdatePipeline/SelfMutate"
+            ]
+          ]
+        },
         "EncryptionKey": "alias/aws/s3"
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/testhelpers/matchers.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/testhelpers/matchers.ts
index 97a02fc1dc10d..f7ba6458f7449 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/testhelpers/matchers.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/testhelpers/matchers.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class StringLike extends Matcher {
 
   public test(actual: any): MatchResult {
     if (typeof(actual) !== 'string') {
-      throw new Error(`Expected string but found ${typeof(actual)}`);
+      throw new Error(`Expected string but found ${typeof(actual)} ${JSON.stringify(actual)}`);
     }
     const re = new RegExp(`^${this.pattern.split('*').map(escapeRegex).join('.*')}$`);