diff --git a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_dist.go b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_dist.go
index b7d6ad479021..8afc59427093 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_dist.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_dist.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func distChangefeedFlow(
 	execCtx sql.JobExecContext,
 	jobID jobspb.JobID,
 	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
 	localState *cachedState,
 	resultsCh chan<- tree.Datums,
 ) error {
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ func distChangefeedFlow(
 		}
 	}
 	return startDistChangefeed(
-		ctx, execCtx, jobID, schemaTS, details, initialHighWater, localState, resultsCh)
+		ctx, execCtx, jobID, schemaTS, details, description, initialHighWater, localState, resultsCh)
 }
 
 func fetchTableDescriptors(
@@ -227,6 +228,7 @@ func startDistChangefeed(
 	jobID jobspb.JobID,
 	schemaTS hlc.Timestamp,
 	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
 	initialHighWater hlc.Timestamp,
 	localState *cachedState,
 	resultsCh chan<- tree.Datums,
@@ -259,7 +261,7 @@ func startDistChangefeed(
 	if progress := localState.progress.GetChangefeed(); progress != nil && progress.Checkpoint != nil {
 		checkpoint = progress.Checkpoint
 	}
-	p, planCtx, err := makePlan(execCtx, jobID, details, initialHighWater,
+	p, planCtx, err := makePlan(execCtx, jobID, details, description, initialHighWater,
 		trackedSpans, checkpoint, localState.drainingNodes)(ctx, dsp)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -373,6 +375,7 @@ func makePlan(
 	execCtx sql.JobExecContext,
 	jobID jobspb.JobID,
 	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
 	initialHighWater hlc.Timestamp,
 	trackedSpans []roachpb.Span,
 	checkpoint *jobspb.ChangefeedProgress_Checkpoint,
@@ -476,12 +479,13 @@ func makePlan(
 			}
 
 			aggregatorSpecs[i] = &execinfrapb.ChangeAggregatorSpec{
-				Watches:    watches,
-				Checkpoint: aggregatorCheckpoint,
-				Feed:       details,
-				UserProto:  execCtx.User().EncodeProto(),
-				JobID:      jobID,
-				Select:     execinfrapb.Expression{Expr: details.Select},
+				Watches:     watches,
+				Checkpoint:  aggregatorCheckpoint,
+				Feed:        details,
+				UserProto:   execCtx.User().EncodeProto(),
+				JobID:       jobID,
+				Select:      execinfrapb.Expression{Expr: details.Select},
+				Description: description,
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -494,6 +498,7 @@ func makePlan(
 			Feed:         details,
 			JobID:        jobID,
 			UserProto:    execCtx.User().EncodeProto(),
+			Description:  description,
 		}
 
 		if haveKnobs && maybeCfKnobs.OnDistflowSpec != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_processors.go b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_processors.go
index bdd6c088dfe7..3311c1cb6e85 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_processors.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_processors.go
@@ -262,17 +262,31 @@ func (ca *changeAggregator) MustBeStreaming() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// wrapMetricsController wraps the supplied metricsRecorder to emit metrics to telemetry.
-// This method modifies ca.cancel().
-func (ca *changeAggregator) wrapMetricsController(
+// wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry wraps the supplied metricsRecorder
+// so it periodically emits metrics to telemetry.
+func (ca *changeAggregator) wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry(
 	ctx context.Context, recorder metricsRecorder,
 ) (metricsRecorder, error) {
-	job, err := ca.FlowCtx.Cfg.JobRegistry.LoadJob(ctx, ca.spec.JobID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return ca.sliMetrics, err
+	details := ca.spec.Feed
+	jobID := ca.spec.JobID
+	description := ca.spec.Description
+	// This code exists so that if the spec is created in a mixed-version cluster
+	// on a node without the new Description field, this node can still fetch
+	// the description.
+	if description == "" {
+		// Don't emit telemetry messages for core changefeeds without a description.
+		if ca.isSinkless() {
+			return recorder, nil
+		} else {
+			job, err := ca.FlowCtx.Cfg.JobRegistry.LoadJob(ctx, jobID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			description = job.Payload().Description
+		}
 	}
 
-	recorderWithTelemetry, err := wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry(ctx, job, ca.FlowCtx.Cfg.Settings, recorder)
+	recorderWithTelemetry, err := wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry(ctx, details, description, jobID, ca.FlowCtx.Cfg.Settings, recorder)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ca.sliMetrics, err
 	}
@@ -337,18 +351,15 @@ func (ca *changeAggregator) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 	ca.sliMetricsID = ca.sliMetrics.claimId()
 
-	// TODO(jayant): add support for sinkless changefeeds using UUID
 	recorder := metricsRecorder(ca.sliMetrics)
-	if !ca.isSinkless() {
-		recorder, err = ca.wrapMetricsController(ctx, recorder)
-		if err != nil {
-			if log.V(2) {
-				log.Infof(ca.Ctx(), "change aggregator moving to draining due to error wrapping metrics controller: %v", err)
-			}
-			ca.MoveToDraining(err)
-			ca.cancel()
-			return
+	recorder, err = ca.wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry(ctx, recorder)
+	if err != nil {
+		if log.V(2) {
+			log.Infof(ca.Ctx(), "change aggregator moving to draining due to error wrapping metrics controller: %v", err)
 		}
+		ca.MoveToDraining(err)
+		ca.cancel()
+		return
 	}
 
 	ca.sink, err = getEventSink(ctx, ca.FlowCtx.Cfg, ca.spec.Feed, timestampOracle,
diff --git a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_stmt.go b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_stmt.go
index 9d7b8485c872..3495f2a12885 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_stmt.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/changefeed_stmt.go
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ func changefeedPlanHook(
 			telemetry.Count(`changefeed.create.core`)
 			logChangefeedCreateTelemetry(ctx, jr, changefeedStmt.Select != nil)
 
-			err := coreChangefeed(ctx, p, details, progress, resultsCh)
+			err := coreChangefeed(ctx, p, details, jr.Description, progress, resultsCh)
 			// TODO(yevgeniy): This seems wrong -- core changefeeds always terminate
 			// with an error.  Perhaps rename this telemetry to indicate number of
 			// completed feeds.
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ func coreChangefeed(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	p sql.PlanHookState,
 	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
 	progress jobspb.Progress,
 	resultsCh chan<- tree.Datums,
 ) error {
@@ -350,7 +351,7 @@ func coreChangefeed(
 			knobs.BeforeDistChangefeed()
 		}
 
-		err := distChangefeedFlow(ctx, p, 0 /* jobID */, details, localState, resultsCh)
+		err := distChangefeedFlow(ctx, p, 0 /* jobID */, details, description, localState, resultsCh)
 		if err == nil {
 			log.Infof(ctx, "core changefeed completed with no error")
 			return nil
@@ -658,7 +659,7 @@ func createChangefeedJobRecord(
 		details.Opts = opts.AsMap()
 		// Jobs should not be created for sinkless changefeeds. However, note that
 		// we create and return a job record for sinkless changefeeds below. This is
-		// because we need the details field to create our sinkless changefeed.
+		// because we need the job description and details to create our sinkless changefeed.
 		// After this job record is returned, we create our forever running sinkless
 		// changefeed, thus ensuring that no job is created for this changefeed as
 		// desired.
@@ -1112,12 +1113,13 @@ func (b *changefeedResumer) Resume(ctx context.Context, execCtx interface{}) err
 	jobID := b.job.ID()
 	details := b.job.Details().(jobspb.ChangefeedDetails)
 	progress := b.job.Progress()
+	description := b.job.Payload().Description
 
 	if err := b.ensureClusterIDMatches(ctx, jobExec.ExtendedEvalContext().ClusterID); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err := b.resumeWithRetries(ctx, jobExec, jobID, details, progress, execCfg)
+	err := b.resumeWithRetries(ctx, jobExec, jobID, details, description, progress, execCfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return b.handleChangefeedError(ctx, err, details, jobExec)
 	}
@@ -1237,6 +1239,7 @@ func (b *changefeedResumer) resumeWithRetries(
 	jobExec sql.JobExecContext,
 	jobID jobspb.JobID,
 	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
 	initialProgress jobspb.Progress,
 	execCfg *sql.ExecutorConfig,
 ) error {
@@ -1286,7 +1289,7 @@ func (b *changefeedResumer) resumeWithRetries(
 				knobs.BeforeDistChangefeed()
 			}
 
-			flowErr = distChangefeedFlow(ctx, jobExec, jobID, details, localState, startedCh)
+			flowErr = distChangefeedFlow(ctx, jobExec, jobID, details, description, localState, startedCh)
 			if flowErr == nil {
 				return nil // Changefeed completed -- e.g. due to initial_scan=only mode.
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/telemetry.go b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/telemetry.go
index 22307963b3d2..801861876f20 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/telemetry.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/telemetry.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/ccl/changefeedccl/timers"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/jobs"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/jobs/jobspb"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/settings"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/settings/cluster"
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ type sinkTelemetryData struct {
 type periodicTelemetryLogger struct {
 	ctx               context.Context
 	sinkTelemetryData sinkTelemetryData
-	job               *jobs.Job
 	changefeedDetails eventpb.CommonChangefeedEventDetails
 	settings          *cluster.Settings
 
@@ -59,12 +57,15 @@ type telemetryLogger interface {
 var _ telemetryLogger = (*periodicTelemetryLogger)(nil)
 
 func makePeriodicTelemetryLogger(
-	ctx context.Context, job *jobs.Job, s *cluster.Settings,
+	ctx context.Context,
+	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
+	jobID jobspb.JobID,
+	s *cluster.Settings,
 ) (*periodicTelemetryLogger, error) {
 	return &periodicTelemetryLogger{
 		ctx:               ctx,
-		job:               job,
-		changefeedDetails: makeCommonChangefeedEventDetails(ctx, job.Details().(jobspb.ChangefeedDetails), job.Payload().Description, job.ID()),
+		changefeedDetails: makeCommonChangefeedEventDetails(ctx, details, description, jobID),
 		sinkTelemetryData: sinkTelemetryData{},
 		settings:          s,
 	}, nil
@@ -134,9 +135,14 @@ func (ptl *periodicTelemetryLogger) close() {
 }
 
 func wrapMetricsRecorderWithTelemetry(
-	ctx context.Context, job *jobs.Job, s *cluster.Settings, mb metricsRecorder,
+	ctx context.Context,
+	details jobspb.ChangefeedDetails,
+	description string,
+	jobID jobspb.JobID,
+	s *cluster.Settings,
+	mb metricsRecorder,
 ) (*telemetryMetricsRecorder, error) {
-	logger, err := makePeriodicTelemetryLogger(ctx, job, s)
+	logger, err := makePeriodicTelemetryLogger(ctx, details, description, jobID, s)
 	if err != nil {
 		return &telemetryMetricsRecorder{}, err
 	}
@@ -229,13 +235,13 @@ func (r *telemetryMetricsRecorder) timers() *timers.ScopedTimers {
 	return r.inner.timers()
 }
 
-// continuousTelemetryInterval determines the interval at which each node emits telemetry events
-// during the lifespan of each enterprise changefeed.
+// continuousTelemetryInterval determines the interval at which each node emits
+// periodic telemetry events during the lifespan of each changefeed.
 var continuousTelemetryInterval = settings.RegisterDurationSetting(
 	settings.ApplicationLevel,
 	"changefeed.telemetry.continuous_logging.interval",
 	"determines the interval at which each node emits continuous telemetry events"+
-		" during the lifespan of every enterprise changefeed; setting a zero value disables",
+		" during the lifespan of every changefeed; setting a zero value disables logging",
 	24*time.Hour,
 	settings.NonNegativeDuration,
 )
diff --git a/pkg/sql/execinfrapb/processors_changefeeds.proto b/pkg/sql/execinfrapb/processors_changefeeds.proto
index 158a9b3ff3fb..cc5bdd9000a4 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/execinfrapb/processors_changefeeds.proto
+++ b/pkg/sql/execinfrapb/processors_changefeeds.proto
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ message ChangeAggregatorSpec {
 
   // select is the "select clause" for predicate changefeed.
   optional Expression select = 6 [(gogoproto.nullable) = false];
+
+  // Description is the description of the changefeed. Used for structured logging.
+  optional string description = 7 [(gogoproto.nullable) = false];
 }
 
 // ChangeFrontierSpec is the specification for a processor that receives
@@ -79,4 +82,7 @@ message ChangeFrontierSpec {
   // User who initiated the changefeed. This is used to check access privileges
   // when using FileTable ExternalStorage.
   optional string user_proto = 4 [(gogoproto.nullable) = false, (gogoproto.casttype) = "github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/security/username.SQLUsernameProto"];
+
+  // Description is the description of the changefeed. Used for structured logging.
+  optional string description = 5 [(gogoproto.nullable) = false];
 }