diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4892c7e20..b2c07ad5a 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@ New features added
 
 * Extension API:
 
-  - There is now a Sphinx.add_lexer() method to add custom Pygments
-    lexers.
+  - There is now a ``Sphinx.add_lexer()`` method to be able to use
+    custom Pygments lexers easily.
 
 * Other changes:
 
   - Config overrides for single dict keys can now be given on the
     command line.
 
+  - There is now a ``doctest_global_setup`` config value that can
+    be used to give setup code for all doctests in the documentation.
+
 
 Release 0.5.1 (in development)
 ==============================
diff --git a/doc/ext/doctest.rst b/doc/ext/doctest.rst
index 9de6ba9e9..7117f6a90 100644
--- a/doc/ext/doctest.rst
+++ b/doc/ext/doctest.rst
@@ -149,6 +149,14 @@ There are also these config values for customizing the doctest extension:
    A list of directories that will be added to :data:`sys.path` when the doctest
    builder is used.  (Make sure it contains absolute paths.)
 
+.. confval:: doctest_global_setup
+
+   Python code that is treated like it were put in a ``testsetup`` directive for
+   *every* file that is tested, and for every group.  You can use this to
+   e.g. import modules you will always need in your doctests.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 0.6
+   
 .. confval:: doctest_test_doctest_blocks
 
    If this is a nonempty string (the default is ``'default'``), standard reST
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/doctest.py b/sphinx/ext/doctest.py
index aa38bc715..b03f42fb3 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/doctest.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/doctest.py
@@ -98,9 +98,12 @@ class TestGroup(object):
         self.setup = []
         self.tests = []
 
-    def add_code(self, code):
+    def add_code(self, code, prepend=False):
         if code.type == 'testsetup':
-            self.setup.append(code)
+            if prepend:
+                self.setup.insert(0, code)
+            else:
+                self.setup.append(code)
         elif code.type == 'doctest':
             self.tests.append([code])
         elif code.type == 'testcode':
@@ -243,6 +246,10 @@ Doctest summary
         for code in add_to_all_groups:
             for group in groups.itervalues():
                 group.add_code(code)
+        if self.config.doctest_global_setup:
+            code = TestCode(self.config.doctest_global_setup, 'testsetup', lineno=0)
+            for group in groups.itervalues():
+                group.add_code(code, prepend=True)
         if not groups:
             return
 
@@ -322,3 +329,4 @@ def setup(app):
     # this config value adds to sys.path
     app.add_config_value('doctest_path', [], False)
     app.add_config_value('doctest_test_doctest_blocks', 'default', False)
+    app.add_config_value('doctest_global_setup', '', False)