diff --git a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyStringLiteralExpressionManipulator.java b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyStringLiteralExpressionManipulator.java
index f98acdefe193..2d76c28406a4 100644
--- a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyStringLiteralExpressionManipulator.java
+++ b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyStringLiteralExpressionManipulator.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.util.Pair;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.TextRange;
 import com.intellij.psi.AbstractElementManipulator;
 import com.jetbrains.python.PythonStringUtil;
-import com.jetbrains.python.psi.PyElementGenerator;
 
 /**
  * @author traff
@@ -34,9 +33,8 @@ public class PyStringLiteralExpressionManipulator extends AbstractElementManipul
     }
 
     String newName = range.replace(element.getText(), newContent);
-
-    return (PyStringLiteralExpressionImpl)element
-      .replace(PyElementGenerator.getInstance(element.getProject()).createStringLiteralAlreadyEscaped(newName));
+    element.updateText(newName);
+    return element;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams.py b/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4a79b846db09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class SomeClass(object):
+    """ Awesome class
+
+    @ivar someVar: great stuff
+    @type someVar: string
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.some<caret>Var = None
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams_after.py b/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams_after.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ae4d5e5527d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/testData/refactoring/rename/docstringParams_after.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class SomeClass(object):
+    """ Awesome class
+
+    @ivar bar: great stuff
+    @type bar: string
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.bar = None
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/PyRenameTest.java b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/PyRenameTest.java
index f6ff0eecd1c8..948f15926091 100644
--- a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/PyRenameTest.java
+++ b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/PyRenameTest.java
@@ -195,6 +195,11 @@ public class PyRenameTest extends PyTestCase {
     doMultiFileTest("bar");
   }
 
+  // PY-11879
+  public void testDocstringParams() {
+    doTest("bar");
+  }
+
   private void doRenameConflictTest(String newName, String expectedConflict) {
     myFixture.configureByFile(RENAME_DATA_PATH + getTestName(true) + ".py");
     try {