diff --git a/cliff/sphinxext.py b/cliff/sphinxext.py
index 89f41c03..7312b428 100644
--- a/cliff/sphinxext.py
+++ b/cliff/sphinxext.py
@@ -35,6 +35,17 @@ def _indent(text):
     return ''.join(prefixed_lines())
 
 
+def _format_description(parser):
+    """Get parser description.
+
+    We parse this as reStructuredText, allowing users to embed rich
+    information in their help messages if they so choose.
+    """
+    for line in statemachine.string2lines(
+            parser.description, tab_width=4, convert_whitespace=True):
+        yield line
+
+
 def _format_usage(parser):
     """Get usage without a prefix."""
     fmt = argparse.HelpFormatter(parser.prog)
@@ -64,6 +75,17 @@ def _format_usage(parser):
     return [parser.prog] + [_indent(x) for x in parts]
 
 
+def _format_epilog(parser):
+    """Get parser epilog.
+
+    We parse this as reStructuredText, allowing users to embed rich
+    information in their help messages if they so choose.
+    """
+    for line in statemachine.string2lines(
+            parser.epilog, tab_width=4, convert_whitespace=True):
+        yield line
+
+
 def _format_positional_action(action):
     """Format a positional action."""
     if action.help == argparse.SUPPRESS:
@@ -109,13 +131,17 @@ def _format_parser(parser):
     Given the following parser::
 
       >>> import argparse
-      >>> parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='hello-world')
+      >>> parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='hello-world', \
+              description='This is my description.',
+              epilog='This is my epilog')
       >>> parser.add_argument('name', help='User name', metavar='<name>')
       >>> parser.add_argument('--language', action='store', dest='lang', \
               help='Greeting language')
 
     Returns the following::
 
+      This is my description.
+
       .. program:: hello-world
       .. code:: shell
 
@@ -132,7 +158,14 @@ def _format_parser(parser):
       .. option:: -h, --help
 
           Show this help message and exit
+
+      This is my epilog.
     """
+    if parser.description:
+        for line in _format_description(parser):
+            yield line
+        yield ''
+
     yield '.. program:: {}'.format(parser.prog)
 
     yield '.. code-block:: shell'
@@ -156,6 +189,11 @@ def _format_parser(parser):
             yield line
         yield ''
 
+    if parser.epilog:
+        for line in _format_epilog(parser):
+            yield line
+        yield ''
+
 
 class AutoprogramCliffDirective(rst.Directive):
     """Auto-document a subclass of `cliff.command.Command`."""
@@ -199,8 +237,6 @@ class AutoprogramCliffDirective(rst.Directive):
         """
         command = command_class(None, None)
         parser = command.get_parser(command_name)
-        description = command.get_description()
-        epilog = command.get_epilog()
         ignored_opts = ignored_opts or []
 
         # Drop the automatically-added help action
@@ -210,10 +246,6 @@ class AutoprogramCliffDirective(rst.Directive):
                     del parser._actions[parser._actions.index(action)]
                     break
 
-        # Title
-
-        # We build this with plain old docutils nodes
-
         section = nodes.section(
             '',
             nodes.title(text=title),
@@ -223,38 +255,11 @@ class AutoprogramCliffDirective(rst.Directive):
         source_name = '<{}>'.format(command.__class__.__name__)
         result = statemachine.ViewList()
 
-        # Description
-
-        # We parse this as reStructuredText, allowing users to embed rich
-        # information in their help messages if they so choose.
-
-        if description:
-            for line in statemachine.string2lines(
-                    description, tab_width=4, convert_whitespace=True):
-                result.append(line, source_name)
-
-            result.append('', source_name)
-
-        # Summary
-
-        # We both build and parse this as reStructuredText
-
         for line in _format_parser(parser):
             result.append(line, source_name)
 
         self.state.nested_parse(result, 0, section)
 
-        # Epilog
-
-        # Like description, this is parsed as reStructuredText
-
-        if epilog:
-            result.append('', source_name)
-
-            for line in statemachine.string2lines(
-                    epilog, tab_width=4, convert_whitespace=True):
-                result.append(line, source_name)
-
         return [section]
 
     def run(self):
diff --git a/cliff/tests/test_sphinxext.py b/cliff/tests/test_sphinxext.py
index f9f0de06..288149b5 100644
--- a/cliff/tests/test_sphinxext.py
+++ b/cliff/tests/test_sphinxext.py
@@ -62,6 +62,30 @@ class TestSphinxExtension(base.TestBase):
             user name
         """).lstrip(), output)
 
+    def test_description_epilog(self):
+        """Handle a parser description, epilog."""
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='hello-world', add_help=False,
+                                         description='A "Hello, World" app.',
+                                         epilog='What am I doing down here?')
+        parser.add_argument('name', action='store')
+        parser.add_argument('--language', dest='lang')
+
+        output = '\n'.join(sphinxext._format_parser(parser))
+        self.assertEqual(textwrap.dedent("""
+        A "Hello, World" app.
+
+        .. program:: hello-world
+        .. code-block:: shell
+
+            hello-world [--language LANG] name
+
+        .. option:: --language <LANG>
+
+        .. option:: name
+
+        What am I doing down here?
+        """).lstrip(), output)
+
     def test_flag(self):
         """Handle a boolean argparse action."""
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='hello-world', add_help=False)