diff --git a/sphinx/ext/napoleon/__init__.py b/sphinx/ext/napoleon/__init__.py
index 6cab63c9f..793384dd2 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/napoleon/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/napoleon/__init__.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Config:
         napoleon_use_param = True
         napoleon_use_rtype = True
         napoleon_use_keyword = True
+        napoleon_preprocess_types = True
         napoleon_type_aliases = None
         napoleon_custom_sections = None
 
@@ -237,9 +238,12 @@ class Config:
 
             :returns: *bool* -- True if successful, False otherwise
 
+    napoleon_preprocess_types : :obj:`bool` (Defaults to True)
+        Enable the type preprocessor for numpy style docstrings.
+
     napoleon_type_aliases : :obj:`dict` (Defaults to None)
         Add a mapping of strings to string, translating types in numpy
-        style docstrings.
+        style docstrings. Only works if ``napoleon_preprocess_types = True``.
 
     napoleon_custom_sections : :obj:`list` (Defaults to None)
         Add a list of custom sections to include, expanding the list of parsed sections.
@@ -268,6 +272,7 @@ class Config:
         'napoleon_use_param': (True, 'env'),
         'napoleon_use_rtype': (True, 'env'),
         'napoleon_use_keyword': (True, 'env'),
+        'napoleon_preprocess_types': (True, 'env'),
         'napoleon_type_aliases': (None, 'env'),
         'napoleon_custom_sections': (None, 'env')
     }