diff --git a/lib/filesystem/VirtualFolderType.php b/lib/filesystem/VirtualFolderType.php
index e2236ee043eda7a3f1b634cae9de2c53616361b5..ac868ca7afe561fc621592a800ba8c49ac843021 100644
--- a/lib/filesystem/VirtualFolderType.php
+++ b/lib/filesystem/VirtualFolderType.php
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ class VirtualFolderType implements FolderType
     public function __construct($folderdata = [], $plugin_id = null)
     {
         $this->folderdata = $folderdata;
+        //Make sure the description field is not empty so that folders
+        //of this type are compatible with StandardFolder types:
+        if (empty($this->folderdata['description'])) {
+            $this->folderdata['description'] = '';
+        }
         $this->plugin_id  = $plugin_id;
     }