diff --git a/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.jison b/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.jison
index b7d3089e1..8f85e30cd 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.jison
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 %x type_directive
 %x arg_directive
 %x close_directive
-
+%x acc_title
+%x acc_descr
+%x acc_descr_multiline
 %%
 \%\%\{                                                          { this.begin('open_directive'); return 'open_directive'; }
 <open_directive>((?:(?!\}\%\%)[^:.])*)                          { this.begin('type_directive'); return 'type_directive'; }
@@ -22,8 +24,13 @@
 <arg_directive>((?:(?!\}\%\%).|\n)*)                            return 'arg_directive';
 
 "title"\s[^#\n;]+       return 'title';
-"accDescription"\s[^#\n;]+       return 'accDescription';
-
+accTitle\s*":"\s*                                               { this.begin("acc_title");return 'acc_title'; }
+<acc_title>(?!\n|;|#)*[^\n]*                                    { this.popState(); return "acc_title_value"; }
+accDescr\s*":"\s*                                               { this.begin("acc_descr");return 'acc_descr'; }
+<acc_descr>(?!\n|;|#)*[^\n]*                                    { this.popState(); return "acc_descr_value"; }
+accDescr\s*"{"\s*                                { this.begin("acc_descr_multiline");}
+<acc_descr_multiline>[\}]                       { this.popState(); }
+<acc_descr_multiline>[^\}]*                     return "acc_descr_multiline_value";
 (\r?\n)+                               return 'NEWLINE';
 \s+                                    /* skip all whitespace */
 \#[^\n]*                               /* skip comments */
@@ -94,9 +101,10 @@ start
 directive
   : openDirective typeDirective closeDirective
   | openDirective typeDirective ':' argDirective closeDirective
-  | title  {yy.setTitle($1.substring(6));$$=$1.substring(6);}
-	| accDescription {yy.setAccDescription($1.substring(15));$$=$1.substring(15);};
-
+  | acc_title acc_title_value  { console.log('acc_title');$$=$2.trim();yy.setTitle($$); }
+  | acc_descr acc_descr_value  { console.log('acc_descr');$$=$2.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
+  | acc_descr_multiline_value { console.log('acc_descr_multiline_value');$$=$1.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
+  ;
 openDirective
   : open_directive { yy.parseDirective('%%{', 'open_directive'); };
 
diff --git a/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.spec.js
index 9b651b690..850d76b58 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/requirement/parser/requirementDiagram.spec.js
@@ -72,22 +72,38 @@ describe('when parsing requirement diagram it...', function () {
     expect(Object.keys(requirementDb.getRelationships()).length).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  it('will use a title and accDescription', function () {
+  it('will use a accessibility title and description (accDescr)', function () {
     const expectedTitle = 'test title';
     const expectedAccDescription = 'my chart description';
-    const expectedDocRef = 'test_ref';
 
-    let lines = [
-      `requirementDiagram`,
-      ``,
-      `title ${expectedTitle}`,
-      `accDescription ${expectedAccDescription}`,
-      `element test_name {`,
-      `type: test_type`,
-      `docref: test_ref`,
-      `}`,
-    ];
-    let doc = lines.join('\n');
+    const doc = `requirementDiagram
+      accTitle: ${expectedTitle}
+      accDescr: ${expectedAccDescription}
+      element test_name {
+      type: test_type
+      docref: test_ref
+      }`;
+
+    reqDiagram.parser.parse(doc);
+
+    expect(requirementDb.getTitle()).toBe(expectedTitle);
+    expect(requirementDb.getAccDescription()).toBe(expectedAccDescription);
+  });
+
+  it('will use a accessibility title and multiline description (accDescr)', function () {
+    const expectedTitle = 'test title';
+    const expectedAccDescription = `my chart description
+line 2`;
+
+    const doc = `requirementDiagram
+      accTitle: ${expectedTitle}
+      accDescr {
+        ${expectedAccDescription}
+      }
+      element test_name {
+      type: test_type
+      docref: test_ref
+      }`;
 
     reqDiagram.parser.parse(doc);
 
diff --git a/src/diagrams/requirement/requirementDb.js b/src/diagrams/requirement/requirementDb.js
index 2141c2400..fd6340c47 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/requirement/requirementDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/requirement/requirementDb.js
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@ import * as configApi from '../../config';
 import { log } from '../../logger';
 import mermaidAPI from '../../mermaidAPI';
 import common from '../common/common';
+import {
+  setTitle,
+  getTitle,
+  getAccDescription,
+  setAccDescription,
+  clear as commonClear,
+} from '../../commonDb';
 
 let relations = [];
 let latestRequirement = {};
@@ -137,24 +144,7 @@ const clear = () => {
   requirements = {};
   latestElement = {};
   elements = {};
-};
-
-export const setTitle = function (txt) {
-  let sanitizedText = sanitizeText(txt, configApi.getConfig());
-  title = sanitizedText;
-};
-
-export const getTitle = function () {
-  return title;
-};
-
-export const setAccDescription = function (txt) {
-  let sanitizedText = sanitizeText(txt, configApi.getConfig());
-  accDescription = sanitizedText;
-};
-
-export const getAccDescription = function () {
-  return accDescription;
+  commonClear();
 };
 
 export default {