diff --git a/rest_framework/schemas.py b/rest_framework/schemas.py
index 2fb9c7eb5..d249ac4e1 100644
--- a/rest_framework/schemas.py
+++ b/rest_framework/schemas.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import RegexURLPattern, RegexURLResolver
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 
-from rest_framework import exceptions, serializers
+from rest_framework import exceptions, serializers, viewsets
 from rest_framework.compat import coreapi, uritemplate, urlparse
 from rest_framework.request import clone_request
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
@@ -207,10 +207,18 @@ class SchemaGenerator(object):
         else:
             encoding = None
 
+        if isinstance(view, viewsets.GenericViewSet):
+            actions = getattr(callback, 'actions', self.default_mapping)
+            action = actions[method.lower()]
+            view_fn = getattr(callback.cls, action, None)
+        else:
+            view_fn = getattr(callback.cls, method.lower(), None)
+
         return coreapi.Link(
             url=urlparse.urljoin(self.url, path),
             action=method.lower(),
             encoding=encoding,
+            description=view_fn.__doc__ if view_fn else '',
             fields=fields
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_schemas.py b/tests/test_schemas.py
index a2c723a8b..f5b49abcd 100644
--- a/tests/test_schemas.py
+++ b/tests/test_schemas.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class ExampleView(APIView):
     permission_classes = [permissions.IsAuthenticatedOrReadOnly]
 
     def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+        """get documentation"""
         return Response()
 
     def post(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ class TestSchemaGenerator(TestCase):
                     'read': coreapi.Link(
                         url='/example-view/',
                         action='get',
+                        description='get documentation',
                         fields=[]
                     )
                 }