diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
index 4138ca013..4594c934e 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@ addMetadataFromElement e = do
     addMetaField "date" e
     addMetaField "release" e
     addMetaField "releaseinfo" e
+    addMetaField "abstract" e
     return mempty
   where
    addAuthor elt =