diff --git a/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/StructuredDocString.java b/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/StructuredDocString.java
index 748fd22de426..3e701cec9900 100644
--- a/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/StructuredDocString.java
+++ b/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/StructuredDocString.java
@@ -40,12 +40,16 @@ public interface StructuredDocString {
 
   /**
    * @param paramName {@code null} can be used for unnamed parameters descriptors, e.g. in docstring following class attribute
+   * @return {@code null} if specified parameter was omitted in the docstring completely, empty string if there was place for its type, 
+   * but it was unfilled and trimmed type text otherwise.
    */
   @Nullable
   String getParamType(@Nullable String paramName);
 
   /**
    * @param paramName {@code null} can be used for unnamed parameters descriptors, e.g. in docstring following class attribute
+   * @return {@code null} if specified parameter was omitted in the docstring completely, empty substring if there was place for its type, 
+   * but it was unfilled and trimmed type substring otherwise.
    */
   @Nullable
   Substring getParamTypeSubstring(@Nullable String paramName);
@@ -68,9 +72,18 @@ public interface StructuredDocString {
   // getKeywordArgumentTypeString(name)  
   @Nullable
   String getKeywordArgumentDescription(@Nullable String paramName);
+
+  /**
+   * @return {@code null} if return type was omitted in the docstring completely, empty string if there was place for its type,
+   * but it was unfilled and trimmed type text otherwise.
+   */
   @Nullable
   String getReturnType();
-  @Nullable
+
+  /**
+   * @return {@code null} if return type was omitted in the docstring completely, empty substring if there was place for its type,
+   * but it was unfilled and trimmed type substring otherwise.
+   */  @Nullable
   Substring getReturnTypeSubstring();
 
   @Nullable
diff --git a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/DocStringUtil.java b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/DocStringUtil.java
index 585d1d545a87..bc4ef7068b8f 100644
--- a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/DocStringUtil.java
+++ b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/DocStringUtil.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class DocStringUtil {
    * @return structured docstring for one of supported formats or instance of {@link PlainDocString} if none was recognized.
    * @see #parse(String, PsiElement) 
    */
-  @Nullable
+  @NotNull
   public static StructuredDocString parse(@NotNull String text) {
     return parse(text, null);
   }
diff --git a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/SectionBasedDocString.java b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/SectionBasedDocString.java
index d0ba1cccbe74..8b4743313b97 100644
--- a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/SectionBasedDocString.java
+++ b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/documentation/docstrings/SectionBasedDocString.java
@@ -318,13 +318,8 @@ public abstract class SectionBasedDocString extends DocStringLineParser implemen
   @Nullable
   @Override
   public String getParamType(@Nullable String paramName) {
-    if (paramName != null) {
-      final SectionField field = getFirstFieldForParameter(paramName);
-      if (field != null) {
-        return field.getType();
-      }
-    }
-    return null;
+    final Substring sub = getParamTypeSubstring(paramName);
+    return sub != null ? sub.toString() : null;
   }
 
   @Nullable
@@ -429,8 +424,8 @@ public abstract class SectionBasedDocString extends DocStringLineParser implemen
   @Nullable
   @Override
   public String getReturnType() {
-    final SectionField field = getFirstReturnField();
-    return field != null ? field.getType() : null;
+    final Substring sub = getReturnTypeSubstring();
+    return sub != null ? sub.toString() : null;
   }
 
   @Nullable
diff --git a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/Py3TypeTest.java b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/Py3TypeTest.java
index a53df7457cbc..aa8b4ff764ae 100644
--- a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/Py3TypeTest.java
+++ b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/Py3TypeTest.java
@@ -115,6 +115,57 @@ public class Py3TypeTest extends PyTestCase {
       }
     });
   }
+  
+  // PY-16987
+  public void testNoTypeInGoogleDocstringParamAnnotation() {
+    runWithLanguageLevel(LanguageLevel.PYTHON30, new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        doTest("int", "def f(x: int):\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"\n" +
+                      "    Args:\n" +
+                      "        x: foo\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"    \n" +
+                      "    expr = x");
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  
+  // PY-16987
+  public void testUnfilledTypeInGoogleDocstringParamAnnotation() {
+    runWithLanguageLevel(LanguageLevel.PYTHON30, new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        doTest("Any", "def f(x: int):\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"\n" +
+                      "    Args:\n" +
+                      "        x (): foo\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"    \n" +
+                      "    expr = x");
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  
+  // TODO: Same test for Numpy docstrings doesn't pass because typing provider is invoked earlier than NumpyDocStringTypeProvider
+  
+  // PY-16987
+  public void testNoTypeInNumpyDocstringParamAnnotation() {
+    runWithLanguageLevel(LanguageLevel.PYTHON30, new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        doTest("int", "def f(x: int):\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"\n" +
+                      "    Parameters\n" +
+                      "    ----------\n" +
+                      "    x\n" +
+                      "        foo\n" +
+                      "    \"\"\"    \n" +
+                      "    expr = x");
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  
+  
 
   private void doTest(final String expectedType, final String text) {
     myFixture.configureByText(PythonFileType.INSTANCE, text);