diff --git a/add_todo.sh b/add_todo.sh
index bab430d..317a553 100755
--- a/add_todo.sh
+++ b/add_todo.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ if [ -z "$_api_auth" ] ; then
 fi
 
 _title="$1"
-_description="$2"
+# remove newlines (https://stackoverflow.com/a/38672741/1885932)
+_description="$(echo "$2" | sed -E ':a;N;$!ba;s/\r{0,1}\n/\\n/g')"
 
 _api_url='http://kanboard.docker.home/jsonrpc.php'
 _project_id=4