diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e2ffab6..e8e36eb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ Format based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
   `@behindthemusictree/genre-tree-view` `1.6.0`), which renders inside the library's own
   info panel. This replaces the standalone `GenreDetailPanel` component, which has been
   removed along with its export from `@behindthemusictree/app-kit`.
+- **genre-tree**: `CriteriaDetailed` now includes `summary` (nullable string), matching the
+  backend's detail genre response, and `GenreTreeView`'s `renderExtraDetails` now displays it
+  above the essential tracks list when present.
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.test.tsx b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.test.tsx
index f086c22..86bce48 100644
--- a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.test.tsx
@@ -723,6 +723,7 @@ describe("GenreTreeView", () => {
               data: {
                 uuid: "c1",
                 name: "Jazz",
+                summary: null,
                 tracksCount: 5,
                 tracksArchivedCount: 2,
                 children: [],
@@ -749,6 +750,39 @@ describe("GenreTreeView", () => {
       expect(screen.getByText(/2/)).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
 
+    it("renders the genre summary for the selected node", () => {
+      useListFullGenrePlaylistsMock.mockReturnValue({
+        data: { results: [makePlaylist({ uuid: "gp1", criteria: { uuid: "c1", name: "Jazz" } })] },
+        isPending: false,
+      });
+      useFetchGenreDetailMock.mockImplementation((id: string | null) =>
+        id === "c1"
+          ? {
+              data: {
+                uuid: "c1",
+                name: "Jazz",
+                summary: "Improvised music with swung rhythms.",
+                tracksCount: 5,
+                tracksArchivedCount: 0,
+                children: [],
+                essentialTracks: [],
+              },
+              isPending: false,
+            }
+          : { data: undefined, isPending: false },
+      );
+      renderView();
+
+      selectGenre();
+
+      const output = treeWheelPropsMock.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0].renderExtraDetails({
+        id: "gp1",
+      });
+      render(<>{output}</>);
+
+      expect(screen.getByText("Improvised music with swung rhythms.")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
     it("returns null when the node doesn't match the selected genre (e.g. info-panel chip navigation)", () => {
       useListFullGenrePlaylistsMock.mockReturnValue({
         data: {
@@ -765,6 +799,7 @@ describe("GenreTreeView", () => {
               data: {
                 uuid: "c1",
                 name: "Jazz",
+                summary: null,
                 tracksCount: 5,
                 tracksArchivedCount: 0,
                 children: [],
@@ -804,7 +839,7 @@ describe("GenreTreeView", () => {
       expect(output).toBeNull();
     });
 
-    it("returns null when there are no essential tracks and nothing archived", () => {
+    it("returns null when there is no summary, no essential tracks, and nothing archived", () => {
       useListFullGenrePlaylistsMock.mockReturnValue({
         data: { results: [makePlaylist({ uuid: "gp1", criteria: { uuid: "c1", name: "Jazz" } })] },
         isPending: false,
@@ -815,6 +850,7 @@ describe("GenreTreeView", () => {
               data: {
                 uuid: "c1",
                 name: "Jazz",
+                summary: null,
                 tracksCount: 5,
                 tracksArchivedCount: 0,
                 children: [],
diff --git a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.tsx b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.tsx
index 7ce87fb..2017aaf 100644
--- a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/GenreTreeView.tsx
@@ -107,13 +107,14 @@ export function GenreTreeView<T extends TrackBase>({
         return null;
       }
 
-      const { essentialTracks, tracksArchivedCount } = selectedGenreDetail;
-      if (essentialTracks.length === 0 && tracksArchivedCount === 0) {
+      const { summary, essentialTracks, tracksArchivedCount } = selectedGenreDetail;
+      if (!summary && essentialTracks.length === 0 && tracksArchivedCount === 0) {
         return null;
       }
 
       return (
         <div className="flex flex-col gap-3 text-sm text-gray-700">
+          {summary && <p>{summary}</p>}
           {tracksArchivedCount > 0 && (
             <div>
               <span className="font-semibold">Archived tracks: </span>
diff --git a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/criteria.test.ts b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/criteria.test.ts
index 2ac5837..3d274a8 100644
--- a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/criteria.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/criteria.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ describe("CriteriaDetailedSchema", () => {
   const valid = {
     uuid,
     name: "Rock",
+    summary: "A genre summary",
     parent: null,
     ascendants: [],
     descendants: [],
@@ -61,6 +62,15 @@ describe("CriteriaDetailedSchema", () => {
   it("rejects an invalid essentialTracks entry", () => {
     expect(() => CriteriaDetailedSchema.parse({ ...valid, essentialTracks: [{ uuid: "not-a-uuid" }] })).toThrow();
   });
+
+  it("accepts a null summary", () => {
+    expect(() => CriteriaDetailedSchema.parse({ ...valid, summary: null })).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a shape missing summary", () => {
+    const { summary: _summary, ...invalid } = valid;
+    expect(() => CriteriaDetailedSchema.parse(invalid)).toThrow();
+  });
 });
 
 describe("CriteriaCreationSchema", () => {
diff --git a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/detailed.ts b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/detailed.ts
index 3be0ecd..394b6f5 100644
--- a/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/detailed.ts
+++ b/packages/app-kit/src/genre-tree/schemas/criteria/detailed.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { CriteriaLineageRelWithoutDescendantSchema } from "./lineage-rel/without
 
 export const CriteriaDetailedSchema = UuidResourceSchema.extend({
   name: z.string(),
+  summary: z.string().nullable(),
   parent: CriteriaMinimumSchema.nullable(),
   ascendants: z.array(CriteriaLineageRelWithoutDescendantSchema),
   descendants: z.array(CriteriaLineageRelWithoutAscendantSchema),