diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f4cc5dc89..ce92d5bbf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ REBAR = $(CURDIR)/rebar3
 BUILD = $(CURDIR)/build
 SCRIPTS = $(CURDIR)/scripts
 export PKG_VSN ?= $(shell $(CURDIR)/pkg-vsn.sh)
+export EMQX_DESC ?= EMQ X
 export EMQX_CE_DASHBOARD_VERSION ?= v4.3.0-beta.1
 
 PROFILE ?= emqx
@@ -53,9 +54,9 @@ coveralls: $(REBAR)
 .PHONY: $(REL_PROFILES)
 $(REL_PROFILES:%=%): $(REBAR) get-dashboard
 ifneq ($(shell echo $(@) |grep edge),)
-	@export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Edge"
+	@export EMQX_DESC="$${EMQX_DESC} Edge"
 else
-	@export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Broker"
+	@export EMQX_DESC="$${EMQX_DESC} Broker"
 endif
 	@$(REBAR) as $(@) release
 
@@ -72,9 +73,9 @@ deps-all: $(REBAR) $(PROFILES:%=deps-%)
 .PHONY: $(PROFILES:%=deps-%)
 $(PROFILES:%=deps-%): $(REBAR) get-dashboard
 ifneq ($(shell echo $(@) |grep edge),)
-	@export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Edge"
+	@export EMQX_DESC="$${EMQX_DESC} Edge"
 else
-	@export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Broker"
+	@export EMQX_DESC="$${EMQX_DESC} Broker"
 endif
 	@$(REBAR) as $(@:deps-%=%) get-deps
 
diff --git a/build b/build
index 03b734fc8..d7cd01183 100755
--- a/build
+++ b/build
@@ -12,19 +12,6 @@ ARTIFACT="$2"
 # ensure dir
 cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")"
 
-case "$PROFILE" in
-    emqx-edge*)
-	    export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Edge"
-        ;;
-    emqx*)
-	    export EMQX_DESC="EMQ X Broker"
-        ;;
-    *)
-        echo "Unknown profile $PROFILE"
-        exit 1
-        ;;
-esac
-
 PKG_VSN="${PKG_VSN:-$(./pkg-vsn.sh)}"
 export PKG_VSN
 
diff --git a/src/emqx.app.src b/src/emqx.app.src
index 40c0ff955..ce90feb1f 100644
--- a/src/emqx.app.src
+++ b/src/emqx.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {application, emqx,
- [{description, "EMQ X Broker"},
-  {id, "emqx"},
+ [{id, "emqx"},
   {vsn, "4.3.0"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
   {modules, []},
   {registered, []},
diff --git a/src/emqx.app.src.script b/src/emqx.app.src.script
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78a5e23ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/emqx.app.src.script
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[{application, Name, Opts}] = CONFIG,
+case os:getenv("EMQX_DESC") of
+    [_ | _] = Desc ->
+      [{application, Name, [{description, Desc} | Opts]}];
+    _ ->
+      error(env_var_EMQX_DESC_not_set)
+end.