diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/default.nix
index 2edf85576416..796bcf927779 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/default.nix
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ assert guileBindings -> guile != null;
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
-  name = "gnutls-2.2.5";
+  name = "gnutls-2.4.0";
 
   src = fetchurl {
     url = "mirror://gnu/gnutls/${name}.tar.bz2";
-    sha256 = "0mxf4pwv17lf4c2b3bh70wn35y9f45325am1ywkmw2azbfyqj9ng";
+    sha256 = "11sdwj994lbd8n5icxdj2xr10a0b7s4nh4bm2pf8phncy6kbr0n6";
   };
 
   patches = [ ./tmpdir.patch ];
@@ -25,6 +25,21 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   
   meta = {
     description = "The GNU Transport Layer Security Library";
+
+    longDescription = ''
+       GnuTLS is a project that aims to develop a library which
+       provides a secure layer, over a reliable transport
+       layer. Currently the GnuTLS library implements the proposed
+       standards by the IETF's TLS working group.
+
+       Quoting from the TLS protocol specification:
+
+       "The TLS protocol provides communications privacy over the
+       Internet. The protocol allows client/server applications to
+       communicate in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping,
+       tampering, or message forgery."
+    '';
+
     homepage = http://www.gnu.org/software/gnutls/;
     license = "LGPLv2.1+";
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/tmpdir.patch b/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/tmpdir.patch
index 1cd675dc5e93..d12daee60344 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/tmpdir.patch
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/gnutls/tmpdir.patch
@@ -5,24 +5,26 @@ build failures in chroots.  See also:
   http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.encryption.gpg.gnutls.devel/2693
 
 
---- gnutls-2.3.4/tests/openpgp/Makefile.in	2008-03-19 13:46:02.000000000 +0100
-+++ gnutls-2.3.4/tests/openpgp/Makefile.in	2008-04-08 23:21:34.000000000 +0200
-@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ POST_UNINSTALL = :
+--- gnutls-2.4.0/tests/openpgp/Makefile.in	2008-06-18 17:02:37.000000000 +0200
++++ gnutls-2.4.0/tests/openpgp/Makefile.in	2008-06-27 20:07:00.000000000 +0200
+@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ PRE_UNINSTALL = :
+ POST_UNINSTALL = :
  build_triplet = @build@
  host_triplet = @host@
- target_triplet = @target@
 -@ENABLE_OPENPGP_TRUE@TESTS = keyring$(EXEEXT)
 +@ENABLE_OPENPGP_TRUE@TESTS =
  @ENABLE_OPENPGP_TRUE@check_PROGRAMS = keyring$(EXEEXT)
  subdir = tests/openpgp
  DIST_COMMON = $(srcdir)/Makefile.am $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
 
---- gnutls-2.3.4/guile/tests/Makefile.in	2008-03-19 13:46:00.000000000 +0100
-+++ gnutls-2.3.4/guile/tests/Makefile.in	2008-04-08 23:30:15.000000000 +0200
-@@ -524,7 +524,6 @@ top_builddir = @top_builddir@
- top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
- TESTS = anonymous-auth.scm session-record-port.scm		\
-         pkcs-import-export.scm					\
--	openpgp-keys.scm openpgp-keyring.scm openpgp-auth.scm	\
-         srp-base64.scm errors.scm				\
- 	x509-certificates.scm x509-auth.scm
+--- gnutls-2.4.0/guile/tests/Makefile.in	2008-06-18 17:02:34.000000000 +0200
++++ gnutls-2.4.0/guile/tests/Makefile.in	2008-06-27 20:08:13.000000000 +0200
+@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ PRE_UNINSTALL = :
+ POST_UNINSTALL = :
+ build_triplet = @build@
+ host_triplet = @host@
+-@ENABLE_OPENPGP_TRUE@am__append_1 = openpgp-keys.scm openpgp-keyring.scm openpgp-auth.scm
++@ENABLE_OPENPGP_TRUE@am__append_1 =
+ @ENABLE_SRP_TRUE@am__append_2 = srp-base64.scm
+ subdir = guile/tests
+ DIST_COMMON = $(srcdir)/Makefile.am $(srcdir)/Makefile.in