diff --git a/src/kudu/client/schema.cc b/src/kudu/client/schema.cc
index 75d3ba1..5576137 100644
--- a/src/kudu/client/schema.cc
+++ b/src/kudu/client/schema.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@
             "Whether to show column attributes, including column encoding type, "
             "compression type, and default read/write value.");
 
+DEFINE_bool(show_column_comment, false,
+            "Whether to show column comment.");
+
 MAKE_ENUM_LIMITS(kudu::client::KuduColumnStorageAttributes::EncodingType,
                  kudu::client::KuduColumnStorageAttributes::AUTO_ENCODING,
                  kudu::client::KuduColumnStorageAttributes::RLE);
@@ -951,10 +954,17 @@
 }
 
 string KuduSchema::ToString() const {
-  return schema_ ? schema_->ToString(FLAGS_show_attributes ?
-                                     Schema::ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES
-                                     : Schema::ToStringMode::BASE_INFO)
-                 : "()";
+  if (!schema_) {
+    return "()";
+  }
+  uint8_t mode = Schema::ToStringMode::BASE_INFO;
+  if (FLAGS_show_attributes) {
+    mode |= Schema::ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES;
+  }
+  if (FLAGS_show_column_comment) {
+    mode |= Schema::ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_COMMENTS;
+  }
+  return schema_->ToString(mode);
 }
 
 KuduSchema KuduSchema::FromSchema(const Schema& schema) {
diff --git a/src/kudu/common/schema.cc b/src/kudu/common/schema.cc
index 48b14ae..7fa54cb 100644
--- a/src/kudu/common/schema.cc
+++ b/src/kudu/common/schema.cc
@@ -156,11 +156,14 @@
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
-string ColumnSchema::ToString(ToStringMode mode) const {
-  return Substitute("$0 $1$2",
+string ColumnSchema::ToString(uint8_t mode) const {
+  return Substitute("$0 $1$2$3",
                     name_,
                     TypeToString(),
-                    mode == ToStringMode::WITH_ATTRIBUTES ? " " + AttrToString() : "");
+                    mode & ToStringMode::WITH_ATTRIBUTES ?
+                    " " + AttrToString() : "",
+                    mode & ToStringMode::WITH_COMMENTS
+                    && comment_.length() ? " " + comment_ : "");
 }
 
 string ColumnSchema::TypeToString() const {
@@ -456,7 +459,7 @@
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
-string Schema::ToString(ToStringMode mode) const {
+string Schema::ToString(uint8_t mode) const {
   if (cols_.empty()) return "()";
 
   vector<string> pk_strs;
@@ -465,12 +468,15 @@
     pk_strs.push_back(cols_[i].name());
   }
 
-  auto col_mode = ColumnSchema::ToStringMode::WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES;
+  uint8_t col_mode = ColumnSchema::ToStringMode::WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES;
   if (mode & ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES) {
-    col_mode = ColumnSchema::ToStringMode::WITH_ATTRIBUTES;
+    col_mode |= ColumnSchema::ToStringMode::WITH_ATTRIBUTES;
+  }
+  if (mode & ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_COMMENTS) {
+    col_mode |= ColumnSchema::ToStringMode::WITH_COMMENTS;
   }
   vector<string> col_strs;
-  if (has_column_ids() && (mode & ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_IDS)) {
+  if (has_column_ids() && mode & ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_IDS) {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < cols_.size(); ++i) {
       col_strs.push_back(Substitute("$0:$1", col_ids_[i], cols_[i].ToString(col_mode)));
     }
diff --git a/src/kudu/common/schema.h b/src/kudu/common/schema.h
index df1d725..b72bca5 100644
--- a/src/kudu/common/schema.h
+++ b/src/kudu/common/schema.h
@@ -266,16 +266,18 @@
   }
 
   // Enum to configure how a ColumnSchema is stringified.
-  enum class ToStringMode {
+  enum ToStringMode : uint8_t {
+    // Do not include below attributes.
+    WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES = 0,
     // Include encoding type, compression type, and default read/write value.
-    WITH_ATTRIBUTES,
-    // Do not include above attributes.
-    WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES,
+    WITH_ATTRIBUTES = 1 << 0,
+    // Include comments
+    WITH_COMMENTS = 1 << 1
   };
 
   // Return a string identifying this column, including its
   // name.
-  std::string ToString(ToStringMode mode = ToStringMode::WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES) const;
+  std::string ToString(uint8_t mode = ToStringMode::WITHOUT_ATTRIBUTES) const;
 
   // Same as above, but only including the type information.
   // For example, "STRING NOT NULL".
@@ -794,16 +796,19 @@
   }
 
   // Enum to configure how a Schema is stringified.
-  enum ToStringMode {
+  enum ToStringMode : uint8_t {
     BASE_INFO = 0,
     // Include column ids if this instance has them.
     WITH_COLUMN_IDS = 1 << 0,
     // Include column attributes.
     WITH_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES = 1 << 1,
+    // Include column comments.
+    WITH_COLUMN_COMMENTS = 1 << 2
   };
+
   // Stringify this Schema. This is not particularly efficient,
   // so should only be used when necessary for output.
-  std::string ToString(ToStringMode mode = ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_IDS) const;
+  std::string ToString(uint8_t mode = ToStringMode::WITH_COLUMN_IDS) const;
 
   bool operator==(const Schema& other) const {
     if (this == &other) {
diff --git a/src/kudu/tools/kudu-admin-test.cc b/src/kudu/tools/kudu-admin-test.cc
index 215ea1b..fd8750a 100644
--- a/src/kudu/tools/kudu-admin-test.cc
+++ b/src/kudu/tools/kudu-admin-test.cc
@@ -1914,7 +1914,8 @@
     builder.AddColumn("date_val")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::DATE);
     builder.AddColumn("string_val")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::STRING)
       ->Encoding(KuduColumnStorageAttributes::EncodingType::PREFIX_ENCODING)
-      ->Default(KuduValue::CopyString(Slice("hello")));
+      ->Default(KuduValue::CopyString(Slice("hello")))
+      ->Comment("comment for hello");
     builder.AddColumn("bool_val")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::BOOL)
       ->Default(KuduValue::FromBool(false));
     builder.AddColumn("float_val")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::FLOAT);
@@ -2002,7 +2003,8 @@
     "describe",
     cluster_->master()->bound_rpc_addr().ToString(),
     kAnotherTableId,
-    "-show_attributes=true"
+    "-show_attributes=true",
+    "-show_column_comment=true"
   }, &stdout, &stderr);
   ASSERT_TRUE(s.ok()) << ToolRunInfo(s, stdout, stderr);
 
@@ -2019,7 +2021,8 @@
       "    int64_val INT64 NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING ZLIB 123 123,\n"
       "    timestamp_val UNIXTIME_MICROS NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
       "    date_val DATE NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
-      "    string_val STRING NULLABLE PREFIX_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION \"hello\" \"hello\",\n"
+      "    string_val STRING NULLABLE PREFIX_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION \"hello\" \"hello\" "
+      "comment for hello,\n"
       "    bool_val BOOL NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION false false,\n"
       "    float_val FLOAT NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
       "    double_val DOUBLE NULLABLE AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION 123.4 123.4,\n"
@@ -2169,6 +2172,77 @@
   );
 }
 
+// Simple tests to check whether the column describing flags
+// work, alone and together as well.
+TEST_F(AdminCliTest, TestDescribeTableColumnFlags) {
+
+  NO_FATALS(BuildAndStart());
+  string stdout;
+  const string kTableName = "TestAnotherTable";
+
+  {
+    // Build the schema
+    KuduSchema schema;
+    KuduSchemaBuilder builder;
+    builder.AddColumn("foo")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::INT32)->NotNull();
+    builder.AddColumn("bar")->Type(KuduColumnSchema::INT32)->NotNull()
+        ->Comment("comment for bar");
+    builder.SetPrimaryKey({"foo"});
+    ASSERT_OK(builder.Build(&schema));
+
+    // Create the table
+    unique_ptr<KuduTableCreator> table_creator(client_->NewTableCreator());
+    ASSERT_OK(table_creator->table_name(kTableName)
+                  .schema(&schema)
+                  .set_range_partition_columns({"foo"})
+                  .Create());
+  }
+
+  // Test the describe output with flags
+  ASSERT_OK(RunKuduTool({"table",
+                         "describe",
+                         cluster_->master()->bound_rpc_addr().ToString(),
+                         kTableName,
+                         "-show_column_comment"},
+                        &stdout));
+  ASSERT_STR_CONTAINS(stdout,
+                      "(\n"
+                      "    foo INT32 NOT NULL,\n"
+                      "    bar INT32 NOT NULL comment for bar,\n"
+                      "    PRIMARY KEY (foo)\n"
+                      ")\n");
+  stdout.clear();
+
+  ASSERT_OK(RunKuduTool({"table",
+                         "describe",
+                         cluster_->master()->bound_rpc_addr().ToString(),
+                         kTableName,
+                         "-show_attributes"},
+                        &stdout));
+  ASSERT_STR_CONTAINS(stdout,
+                      "(\n"
+                      "    foo INT32 NOT NULL AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
+                      "    bar INT32 NOT NULL AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
+                      "    PRIMARY KEY (foo)\n"
+                      ")\n");
+  stdout.clear();
+
+  ASSERT_OK(RunKuduTool({"table",
+                         "describe",
+                         cluster_->master()->bound_rpc_addr().ToString(),
+                         kTableName,
+                         "-show_attributes",
+                         "-show_column_comment"},
+                        &stdout));
+  ASSERT_STR_CONTAINS(
+      stdout,
+      "(\n"
+      "    foo INT32 NOT NULL AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - -,\n"
+      "    bar INT32 NOT NULL AUTO_ENCODING DEFAULT_COMPRESSION - - comment for bar,\n"
+      "    PRIMARY KEY (foo)\n"
+      ")\n");
+}
+
 TEST_F(AdminCliTest, TestDescribeTableNoOwner) {
   NO_FATALS(BuildAndStart({}, {"--allow_empty_owner=true"}));
   KuduSchema schema;
diff --git a/src/kudu/tools/tool_action_table.cc b/src/kudu/tools/tool_action_table.cc
index 0c578d5..56608c9 100644
--- a/src/kudu/tools/tool_action_table.cc
+++ b/src/kudu/tools/tool_action_table.cc
@@ -1802,6 +1802,7 @@
       .Description("Describe a table")
       .AddRequiredParameter({ kTableNameArg, "Name of the table to describe" })
       .AddOptionalParameter("show_attributes")
+      .AddOptionalParameter("show_column_comment")
       .AddOptionalParameter("show_avro_format_schema")
       .Build();