diff --git a/sphinx/directives/__init__.py b/sphinx/directives/__init__.py
index 5ffce16bd..80f622023 100644
--- a/sphinx/directives/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/directives/__init__.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class ObjectDescription(Directive):
         return [strip_backslash_re.sub('', sig.strip())
                 for sig in self.arguments[0].split('\n')]
 
-    def parse_signature(self, sig, signode):
+    def handle_signature(self, sig, signode):
         """
         Parse the signature *sig* into individual nodes and append them to
         *signode*. If ValueError is raised, parsing is aborted and the whole
@@ -242,8 +242,10 @@ class ObjectDescription(Directive):
             signode['first'] = False
             node.append(signode)
             try:
-                # name can also be a tuple, e.g. (classname, objname)
-                name = self.parse_signature(sig, signode)
+                # name can also be a tuple, e.g. (classname, objname);
+                # this is strictly domain-specific (i.e. no assumptions may
+                # be made in this base class)
+                name = self.handle_signature(sig, signode)
             except ValueError, err:
                 # signature parsing failed
                 signode.clear()
diff --git a/sphinx/domains/c.py b/sphinx/domains/c.py
index 7a29ff68f..fc5644091 100644
--- a/sphinx/domains/c.py
+++ b/sphinx/domains/c.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class CObject(ObjectDescription):
             else:
                 node += tnode
 
-    def parse_signature(self, sig, signode):
+    def handle_signature(self, sig, signode):
         """Transform a C (or C++) signature into RST nodes."""
         # first try the function pointer signature regex, it's more specific
         m = c_funcptr_sig_re.match(sig)
diff --git a/sphinx/domains/python.py b/sphinx/domains/python.py
index cec571880..e11ddee20 100644
--- a/sphinx/domains/python.py
+++ b/sphinx/domains/python.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class PyObject(ObjectDescription):
         """
         return False
 
-    def parse_signature(self, sig, signode):
+    def handle_signature(self, sig, signode):
         """
         Transform a Python signature into RST nodes.
         Returns (fully qualified name of the thing, classname if any).
@@ -65,32 +65,43 @@ class PyObject(ObjectDescription):
         m = py_sig_re.match(sig)
         if m is None:
             raise ValueError
-        classname, name, arglist, retann = m.groups()
+        name_prefix, name, arglist, retann = m.groups()
 
-        currclass = self.env.doc_read_data.get('py:class')
-        if currclass:
+        # determine module and class name (if applicable), as well as full name
+        modname = self.options.get(
+            'module', self.env.doc_read_data.get('py:module'))
+        classname = self.env.doc_read_data.get('py:class')
+        if classname:
             add_module = False
-            if classname and classname.startswith(currclass):
-                fullname = classname + name
+            if name_prefix and name_prefix.startswith(classname):
+                fullname = name_prefix + name
                 # class name is given again in the signature
-                classname = classname[len(currclass):].lstrip('.')
-            elif classname:
+                name_prefix = name_prefix[len(classname):].lstrip('.')
+            elif name_prefix:
                 # class name is given in the signature, but different
                 # (shouldn't happen)
-                fullname = currclass + '.' + classname + name
+                fullname = classname + '.' + name_prefix + name
             else:
                 # class name is not given in the signature
-                fullname = currclass + '.' + name
+                fullname = classname + '.' + name
         else:
             add_module = True
-            fullname = classname and classname + name or name
+            if name_prefix:
+                classname = name_prefix.rstrip('.')
+                fullname = name_prefix + name
+            else:
+                classname = ''
+                fullname = name
 
-        prefix = self.get_signature_prefix(sig)
-        if prefix:
-            signode += addnodes.desc_annotation(prefix, prefix)
+        signode['module'] = modname
+        signode['class'] = classname
 
-        if classname:
-            signode += addnodes.desc_addname(classname, classname)
+        sig_prefix = self.get_signature_prefix(sig)
+        if sig_prefix:
+            signode += addnodes.desc_annotation(sig_prefix, sig_prefix)
+
+        if name_prefix:
+            signode += addnodes.desc_addname(name_prefix, name_prefix)
         # exceptions are a special case, since they are documented in the
         # 'exceptions' module.
         elif add_module and self.env.config.add_module_names:
@@ -107,7 +118,7 @@ class PyObject(ObjectDescription):
                 signode += addnodes.desc_parameterlist()
             if retann:
                 signode += addnodes.desc_returns(retann, retann)
-            return fullname, classname
+            return fullname, name_prefix
         signode += addnodes.desc_parameterlist()
 
         stack = [signode[-1]]
@@ -130,7 +141,7 @@ class PyObject(ObjectDescription):
             raise ValueError
         if retann:
             signode += addnodes.desc_returns(retann, retann)
-        return fullname, classname
+        return fullname, name_prefix
 
     def get_index_text(self, modname, name):
         """
diff --git a/sphinx/domains/std.py b/sphinx/domains/std.py
index 16de4277f..2a21f39af 100644
--- a/sphinx/domains/std.py
+++ b/sphinx/domains/std.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class GenericObject(ObjectDescription):
     indextemplate = ''
     parse_node = None
 
-    def parse_signature(self, sig, signode):
+    def handle_signature(self, sig, signode):
         if self.parse_node:
             name = self.parse_node(self.env, sig, signode)
         else: