diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 0ba260bc5..347d53286 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Incompatible changes
   to accelerate stemming.
 * Now sphinx_rtd_theme become optional. Please install it manually.
   Refs #2087, #2086, #1845 and #2097. Thanks to Victor Zverovich.
+* #2231: Use DUrole instead of DUspan for custom roles in LaTeX writer. It enables to take
+  title of roles as an argument of custom macros.
 
 
 Features added
diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
index 138e84f54..f94d5c934 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
@@ -444,15 +444,18 @@
 \RequirePackage{hypcap}
 
 % From docutils.writers.latex2e
-\providecommand{\DUspan}[2]{%
-  {% group ("span") to limit the scope of styling commands
-    \@for\node@class@name:=#1\do{%
-    \ifcsname docutilsrole\node@class@name\endcsname%
-      \csname docutilsrole\node@class@name\endcsname%
+% inline markup (custom roles)
+% \DUrole{#1}{#2} tries \DUrole#1{#2}
+\providecommand*{\DUrole}[2]{%
+  \ifcsname DUrole#1\endcsname%
+    \csname DUrole#1\endcsname{#2}%
+  \else% backwards compatibility: try \docutilsrole#1{#2}
+    \ifcsname docutilsrole#1\endcsname%
+      \csname docutilsrole#1\endcsname{#2}%
+    \else%
+      #2%
     \fi%
-    }%
-    {#2}% node content
-  }% close "span"
+  \fi%
 }
 
 \providecommand*{\DUprovidelength}[2]{
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index a04804fa0..dd997361c 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -1886,7 +1886,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
             self.body.append(r'\underline{')
             self.context.append('}')
         elif classes and not self.in_title:
-            self.body.append(r'\DUspan{%s}{' % ','.join(classes))
+            self.body.append(r'\DUrole{%s}{' % ','.join(classes))
             self.context.append('}')
         else:
             self.context.append('')