diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 0591a577..05f32dd4 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -373,15 +373,15 @@ option. Maps to the `CFBundleURLName` metadata property.
 *Object*
 
 Object (also known as a "hash") of application metadata to embed into the executable:
-- `CompanyName`
-- `FileDescription`
-- `OriginalFilename`
-- `ProductName`
-- `InternalName`
+- `CompanyName` (defaults to `author` name from the nearest `package.json`)
+- `FileDescription` (defaults to `description` from the nearest `package.json`)
+- `OriginalFilename` (defaults to renamed `.exe` file)
+- `ProductName` (defaults to either `productName` or `name` from the nearest `package.json`)
+- `InternalName` (defaults to either `productName` or `name` from the nearest `package.json`)
 - `requested-execution-level`
 - `application-manifest`
 
-For more information, see the [node-rcedit module](https://github.com/electron/node-rcedit).
+For more information, see the [`node-rcedit` module](https://github.com/electron/node-rcedit).
 
 ## callback
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 44d043c5..018022bf 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ module.exports = pify(function packager (opts, cb) {
 
   common.camelCase(opts, true)
 
-  getMetadataFromPackageJSON(opts, path.resolve(process.cwd(), opts.dir) || process.cwd(), function (err) {
+  getMetadataFromPackageJSON(platforms, opts, path.resolve(process.cwd(), opts.dir) || process.cwd(), function (err) {
     if (err) return cb(err)
 
     if (/ Helper$/.test(opts.name)) {
diff --git a/infer.js b/infer.js
index d081ab19..83f75205 100644
--- a/infer.js
+++ b/infer.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 const debug = require('debug')('electron-packager')
 const getPackageInfo = require('get-package-info')
+const parseAuthor = require('parse-author')
 const path = require('path')
 const resolve = require('resolve')
 
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ function getVersion (opts, electronProp, cb) {
   }
 }
 
-module.exports = function getMetadataFromPackageJSON (opts, dir, cb) {
+module.exports = function getMetadataFromPackageJSON (platforms, opts, dir, cb) {
   let props = []
   if (!opts.name) props.push(['productName', 'name'])
   if (!opts.appVersion) props.push('version')
@@ -76,6 +77,16 @@ module.exports = function getMetadataFromPackageJSON (opts, dir, cb) {
     ])
   }
 
+  if (platforms.indexOf('win32') !== -1) {
+    if (!(opts.win32metadata && opts.win32metadata.FileDescription)) {
+      props.push('description')
+    }
+
+    if (!(opts.win32metadata && opts.win32metadata.CompanyName)) {
+      props.push('author')
+    }
+  }
+
   // Name and version provided, no need to infer
   if (props.length === 0) return cb(null)
 
@@ -110,6 +121,20 @@ module.exports = function getMetadataFromPackageJSON (opts, dir, cb) {
       opts.appVersion = result.values.version
     }
 
+    if ((result.values.description || result.values.author) && !opts.win32metadata) {
+      opts.win32metadata = {}
+    }
+
+    if (result.values.description) {
+      debug(`Inferring win32metadata.FileDescription from description in ${result.source.description.src}`)
+      opts.win32metadata.FileDescription = result.values.description
+    }
+
+    if (result.values.author) {
+      debug(`Inferring win32metadata.CompanyName from description in ${result.source.author.src}`)
+      opts.win32metadata.CompanyName = parseAuthor(result.values.author).name
+    }
+
     if (result.values['dependencies.electron']) {
       return getVersion(opts, result.source['dependencies.electron'], cb)
     } else {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 894b9d7d..28c4e208 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     "fs-extra": "^3.0.0",
     "get-package-info": "^1.0.0",
     "minimist": "^1.1.1",
+    "parse-author": "^2.0.0",
     "pify": "^3.0.0",
     "plist": "^2.0.0",
     "rcedit": "^0.9.0",
diff --git a/test/fixtures/infer-win32metadata/package.json b/test/fixtures/infer-win32metadata/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..088779de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/infer-win32metadata/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "main": "main.js",
+  "productName": "MainJS",
+  "author": "Foo Bar <foo.bar@example.com>",
+  "description": "Some description",
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "electron-prebuilt-compile": "1.4.15"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/infer.js b/test/infer.js
index f58ceeab..2c133b9c 100644
--- a/test/infer.js
+++ b/test/infer.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function createInferElectronVersionTest (fixture, packageName) {
       delete opts.electronVersion
       opts.dir = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', fixture)
 
-      pify(getMetadataFromPackageJSON)(opts, opts.dir)
+      pify(getMetadataFromPackageJSON)([], opts, opts.dir)
         .then((pkg) => {
           const packageJSON = require(path.join(opts.dir, 'package.json'))
           t.equal(opts.electronVersion, packageJSON.devDependencies[packageName], `The version should be inferred from installed ${packageName} version`)
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ function createInferMissingVersionTest (opts) {
         delete opts.electronVersion
         opts.dir = dir
 
-        return pify(getMetadataFromPackageJSON)(opts, dir)
+        return pify(getMetadataFromPackageJSON)([], opts, dir)
       }).then(() => {
         const packageJSON = require(path.join(opts.dir, 'package.json'))
         t.equal(opts.electronVersion, packageJSON.devDependencies['electron'], 'The version should be inferred from installed electron module version')
@@ -80,6 +80,19 @@ function createInferMissingVersionTest (opts) {
   }
 }
 
+function testInferWin32metadata (t, opts, expected, assertionMessage) {
+  t.timeoutAfter(config.timeout)
+  copyFixtureToTempDir('infer-win32metadata')
+    .then((dir) => {
+      opts.dir = dir
+
+      return pify(getMetadataFromPackageJSON)(['win32'], opts, dir)
+    }).then(() => {
+      t.deepEqual(opts.win32metadata, expected, assertionMessage)
+      return t.end()
+    }).catch(t.end)
+}
+
 function createInferMissingFieldsTest (opts) {
   return createInferFailureTest(opts, 'infer-missing-fields')
 }
@@ -100,6 +113,27 @@ util.testSinglePlatform('infer using `electron-prebuilt` package', createInferEl
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer using `electron-prebuilt-compile` package', createInferElectronVersionTest('infer-electron-prebuilt-compile', 'electron-prebuilt-compile'))
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer using `electron` package only', createInferMissingVersionTest)
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer where `electron` version is preferred over `electron-prebuilt`', createInferElectronVersionTest('basic-renamed-to-electron', 'electron'))
+util.testSinglePlatform('infer win32metadata', (opts) => {
+  return (t) => {
+    const expected = {
+      CompanyName: 'Foo Bar',
+      FileDescription: 'Some description'
+    }
+
+    testInferWin32metadata(t, opts, expected, 'win32metadata matches package.json values')
+  }
+})
+util.testSinglePlatform('do not infer win32metadata if it already exists', (opts) => {
+  return (t) => {
+    opts.win32metadata = {
+      CompanyName: 'Existing',
+      FileDescription: 'Existing description'
+    }
+    const expected = Object.assign({}, opts.win32metadata)
+
+    testInferWin32metadata(t, opts, expected, 'win32metadata did not update with package.json values')
+  }
+})
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer missing fields test', createInferMissingFieldsTest)
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer with bad fields test', createInferWithBadFieldsTest)
 util.testSinglePlatform('infer with malformed JSON test', createInferWithMalformedJSONTest)
diff --git a/test/win32.js b/test/win32.js
index 9f8697d4..3341ba15 100644
--- a/test/win32.js
+++ b/test/win32.js
@@ -163,6 +163,18 @@ test('error message unchanged when error not about wine', (t) => {
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('win32metadata defaults', (t) => {
+  const opts = {
+    name: 'Win32 App'
+  }
+  const rcOpts = win32.generateRceditOptionsSansIcon(opts, 'Win32 App.exe')
+
+  t.equal(rcOpts['version-string'].InternalName, opts.name)
+  t.equal(rcOpts['version-string'].OriginalFilename, 'Win32 App.exe')
+  t.equal(rcOpts['version-string'].ProductName, opts.name)
+  t.end()
+})
+
 util.packagerTest('win32 executable name is based on sanitized app name', (t) => {
   const opts = Object.assign({}, baseOpts, {name: '@username/package-name'})
 
diff --git a/usage.txt b/usage.txt
index 7f1107d9..c477fcf8 100644
--- a/usage.txt
+++ b/usage.txt
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ win32metadata      a list of sub-properties used to set the application metadata
                    e.g. --win32metadata.CompanyName="Company Inc."
                    or --win32metadata.ProductName="Product"
                    Properties supported:
-                   - CompanyName
-                   - FileDescription
-                   - OriginalFilename
-                   - ProductName
-                   - InternalName
+                   - CompanyName (default: author name from nearest package.json)
+                   - FileDescription (default: description from nearest package.json)
+                   - OriginalFilename (default: renamed exe)
+                   - ProductName (default: appname)
+                   - InternalName (default: appname)
                    - requested-execution-level (user, asInvoker, or requireAdministrator)
                    - application-manifest
diff --git a/win32.js b/win32.js
index 64310728..33da648e 100644
--- a/win32.js
+++ b/win32.js
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ const debug = require('debug')('electron-packager')
 const path = require('path')
 const series = require('run-series')
 
-function generateRceditOptionsSansIcon (opts) {
-  const win32metadata = Object.assign({}, opts['version-string'], opts.win32metadata)
+function generateRceditOptionsSansIcon (opts, newExeName) {
+  const win32metadata = Object.assign({
+    InternalName: opts.name,
+    OriginalFilename: newExeName,
+    ProductName: opts.name
+  }, opts['version-string'], opts.win32metadata)
 
   let rcOpts = {'version-string': win32metadata}
 
@@ -56,7 +60,7 @@ module.exports = {
         }
       ]
 
-      const rcOpts = generateRceditOptionsSansIcon(opts)
+      const rcOpts = generateRceditOptionsSansIcon(opts, newExeName)
 
       if (opts.icon || opts.win32metadata || opts['version-string'] || opts.appCopyright || opts.appVersion || opts.buildVersion) {
         operations.push(function (cb) {