diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
index 19076dc140..46fff56915 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
@@ -72,11 +72,12 @@ module Homebrew
     else
       query = args.named.join(" ")
       string_or_regex = query_regexp(query)
+      eval_all = args.eval_all? || Homebrew::EnvConfig.eval_all?
       unless args.cask?
         ohai "Formulae"
         CacheStoreDatabase.use(:descriptions) do |db|
           cache_store = DescriptionCacheStore.new(db)
-          Descriptions.search(string_or_regex, search_type, cache_store).print
+          Descriptions.search(string_or_regex, search_type, cache_store, eval_all).print
         end
       end
       unless args.formula?
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ module Homebrew
         ohai "Casks"
         CacheStoreDatabase.use(:cask_descriptions) do |db|
           cache_store = CaskDescriptionCacheStore.new(db)
-          Descriptions.search(string_or_regex, search_type, cache_store).print
+          Descriptions.search(string_or_regex, search_type, cache_store, eval_all).print
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/description_cache_store.rb b/Library/Homebrew/description_cache_store.rb
index e43f88e1ba..c4211c6f61 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/description_cache_store.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/description_cache_store.rb
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ class DescriptionCacheStore < CacheStore
   # If the database is empty `update!` it with all known formulae.
   #
   # @return [nil]
-  def populate_if_empty!
-    return unless Homebrew::EnvConfig.eval_all?
+  def populate_if_empty!(eval_all: Homebrew::EnvConfig.eval_all?)
+    return unless eval_all
     return unless database.empty?
 
     Formula.all.each { |f| update!(f.full_name, f.desc) }
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/descriptions.rb b/Library/Homebrew/descriptions.rb
index 81d451e2f9..ab72a922d8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/descriptions.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/descriptions.rb
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ class Descriptions
   extend Homebrew::Search
 
   # Given a regex, find all formulae whose specified fields contain a match.
-  def self.search(string_or_regex, field, cache_store)
-    cache_store.populate_if_empty!
+  def self.search(string_or_regex, field, cache_store, eval_all)
+    cache_store.populate_if_empty!(eval_all: eval_all)
 
     results = case field
     when :name