diff --git a/migrations/1780378340194_system-collection-description.js b/migrations/1780378340194_system-collection-description.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89b2abb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/1780378340194_system-collection-description.js
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * Backfill system collection descriptions to match VOCAB.SYSTEM_COLLECTION_SEED_DESCRIPTION
+ * in lib/collection-vocabulary.js (pick-a-name / collection-vocabulary convoy).
+ *
+ * @type {import('node-pg-migrate').ColumnDefinitions | undefined}
+ */
+export const shorthands = undefined;
+
+/**
+ * @param pgm {import('node-pg-migrate').MigrationBuilder}
+ * @param run {() => void | undefined}
+ * @returns {Promise<void> | void}
+ */
+export const up = (pgm) => {
+  pgm.sql(`
+    UPDATE collections
+    SET description = 'Automatically syncs with My Collection. This list cannot be deleted or made public.'
+    WHERE is_system_collection = true
+  `);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Irreversible — prior description text is not preserved.
+ *
+ * @param pgm {import('node-pg-migrate').MigrationBuilder}
+ * @param run {() => void | undefined}
+ * @returns {Promise<void> | void}
+ */
+export const down = () => {
+  throw new Error('Irreversible data migration');
+};