diff --git a/pyvo/registry/regtap.py b/pyvo/registry/regtap.py
index a17d75567..f736cb3c3 100644
--- a/pyvo/registry/regtap.py
+++ b/pyvo/registry/regtap.py
@@ -855,13 +855,16 @@ def describe(self, verbose=False, width=78, file=None):
         if verbose:
             if self.source_value:
                 print(f"\nSource: {self.source_value}", file=file)
-            # don't print creators if its first value is overly long
-            if self.creators and len(self.creators[0]) < width:
+            if self.creators:
+                # if any creator has a name longer than 70 characters, we
+                # truncate it.
+                creators = [f"{creator[:70]}..." if len(creator) > 70
+                            else creator for creator in self.creators]
                 nmax_authors = 5
-                if len(self.creators) <= nmax_authors:
-                    print(f"Authors: {', '.join(self.creators)}", file=file)
+                if len(creators) <= nmax_authors:
+                    print(f"Authors: {', '.join(creators)}", file=file)
                 else:
-                    print(f"Authors: {', '.join(self.creators[:nmax_authors])} et al.\n"
+                    print(f"Authors: {', '.join(creators[:nmax_authors])} et al.\n"
                     "See creators attribute for the complete list of authors.", file=file)
             if self.alt_identifier:
                 print(f"Alternative identifier: {self.alt_identifier}", file=file)
diff --git a/pyvo/registry/tests/test_regtap.py b/pyvo/registry/tests/test_regtap.py
index 2720c34bf..78216332b 100644
--- a/pyvo/registry/tests/test_regtap.py
+++ b/pyvo/registry/tests/test_regtap.py
@@ -736,9 +736,7 @@ def test_describe_multi(self, flash_service):
         assert "More info: http://dc.zah" in output
 
     def test_describe_long_authors_list(self):
-        # generate a registry record with minimum
-        # information for the describe method and
-        # a long list of authors
+        """Check that long list of authors use et al.."""
         rsc = _makeRegistryRecord(
             access_urls=[],
             standard_ids=["ivo://pyvo/test"],
@@ -754,6 +752,23 @@ def test_describe_long_authors_list(self):
         # output should cut at 5 authors
         assert "Authors: a, a, a, a, a et al." in output
 
+    def test_describe_long_author_name(self):
+        """Check that long author names are truncated."""
+        rsc = _makeRegistryRecord(
+            access_urls=[],
+            standard_ids=["ivo://pyvo/test"],
+            short_name=["name"],
+            intf_types=[],
+            intf_roles=[],
+            creator_seq=["a" * 71],
+            res_title=["title"]
+        )
+        out = io.StringIO()
+        rsc.describe(verbose=True, file=out)
+        output = out.getvalue()
+        # should cut the long author name at 70 characters
+        assert f"Authors: {'a'*70}..." in output
+
     def test_no_access_url(self):
         rsc = _makeRegistryRecord(
             access_urls=[],