diff --git a/static/js/stream_create.js b/static/js/stream_create.js
index 5d895e435c..6af53453ee 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_create.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_create.js
@@ -195,6 +195,14 @@ function create_stream() {
     var announce = !!page_params.notifications_stream &&
         $('#announce-new-stream input').prop('checked');
 
+    // Even though we already check to make sure that while typing the user cannot enter
+    // newline characters (by pressing the enter key) it would still be possible to copy
+    // and paste over a description with newline characters in it. Prevent that.
+    if (description.indexOf('\n') !== -1) {
+        ui_report.message(i18n.t("The stream description cannot contain newline characters."), $(".stream_create_info"), 'alert-error');
+        return;
+    }
+
     loading.make_indicator($('#stream_creating_indicator'), {text: i18n.t('Creating stream...')});
 
     ajaxSubscribeForCreation(
@@ -437,6 +445,14 @@ exports.set_up_handlers = function () {
         e.stopPropagation();
     });
 
+    // Do not allow the user to enter newline characters while typing out the
+    // stream's description during it's creation.
+    container.on("keydown", "#create_stream_description", function (e) {
+        if ((e.keyCode || e.which) === 13) {
+            e.preventDefault();
+        }
+    });
+
 };
 
 return exports;
diff --git a/static/templates/stream_creation_form.handlebars b/static/templates/stream_creation_form.handlebars
index 07844db965..e4614dbd91 100644
--- a/static/templates/stream_creation_form.handlebars
+++ b/static/templates/stream_creation_form.handlebars
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
                 <div class="stream-title">
                     {{t "Stream description (optional)"}}
                 </div>
-                <textarea name="stream_description" id="create_stream_description"
-                  placeholder="{{t 'Stream description' }}" value="" autocomplete="off" maxlength="{{ max_description_length }}"></textarea>
+                <input type="text" name="stream_description" id="create_stream_description"
+                  placeholder="{{t 'Stream description' }}" value="" autocomplete="off" maxlength="{{ max_description_length }}" />
             </section>
             <section class="block" id="make-invite-only">
                 <div class="stream-title">