diff --git a/test/defaults.cpp b/test/defaults.cpp
index 0f552666..2ebcd571 100644
--- a/test/defaults.cpp
+++ b/test/defaults.cpp
@@ -158,25 +158,25 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(defaults_ext)
         .def("barfoo", (object(*)(int, char, std::string, double))0, bar_stubs())
         ;
 
-    class_<Y>("Y", no_init)
+    class_<Y>("Y", init<>("doc of Y init")) // this should work
 	    .def("get_state", &Y::get_state)
         ;
 
     class_<X>("X")
 
 # if (!defined(BOOST_INTEL_CXX_VERSION) || BOOST_INTEL_CXX_VERSION > 600)
-        .def(init<int, optional<char, std::string, double> >())
-        .def(init<std::string, bool>())
+        .def(init<int, optional<char, std::string, double> >("doc of init"))
+        .def(init<std::string, bool>()[default_call_policies()]) // what's a good policy here?
 # else
-        .def_init(args<int>())
-        .def_init(args<int, char>())
-        .def_init(args<int, char, std::string>())
-        .def_init(args<int, char, std::string, double>())
+        .def_init(args<int>(), "doc of init")
+        .def_init(args<int, char>(), "doc of init")
+        .def_init(args<int, char, std::string>(), "doc of init")
+        .def_init(args<int, char, std::string, double>(), "doc of init")
         .def_init(args<std::string, bool>())
 # endif
         .def("get_state", &X::get_state)
         .def("bar", &X::bar, X_bar_stubs())
-        .def("bar2", &X::bar2, X_bar_stubs2(), return_internal_reference<>())
+        .def("bar2", &X::bar2, X_bar_stubs2("doc of X::bar2")[return_internal_reference<>()])
         .def("foo", (object(X::*)(std::string, bool) const)0, X_foo_2_stubs())
         .def("foo", (object(X::*)(int, bool) const)0, X_foo_2_stubs())
         .def("foo", (object(X::*)(list, list, bool) const)0, X_foo_3_stubs())
diff --git a/test/defaults.py b/test/defaults.py
index aa7602f2..ee7a6588 100644
--- a/test/defaults.py
+++ b/test/defaults.py
@@ -3,73 +3,115 @@
 >>> from defaults_ext import *
 >>> bar(1)
 'int(1); char(D); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> bar(2, 'X')
 'int(2); char(X); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> bar(3, 'Y', "Hello World")
 'int(3); char(Y); string(Hello World); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> bar(4, 'Z', "Hi There", 3.3)
 'int(4); char(Z); string(Hi There); double(3.3); '
+
 >>> foo(1)
 'int(1); char(D); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> foo(2, 'X')
 'int(2); char(X); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> foo(3, 'Y', "Hello World")
 'int(3); char(Y); string(Hello World); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> foo(4, 'Z', "Hi There", 3.3)
 'int(4); char(Z); string(Hi There); double(3.3); '
+
 >>> x = X()
 >>> x.bar(1)
 'int(1); char(D); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar(2, 'X')
 'int(2); char(X); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar(3, 'Y', "Hello World")
 'int(3); char(Y); string(Hello World); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar(4, 'Z', "Hi There", 3.3)
 'int(4); char(Z); string(Hi There); double(3.3); '
+
 >>> x.foo(5)
 'int(5); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo(6, 0)
 'int(6); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo(7, 1)
 'int(7); bool(1); '
+
 >>> x.foo("A")
 'string(A); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo("B", False)
 'string(B); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo("C", True)
 'string(C); bool(1); '
+
 >>> x.foo([0,1,2], [2,3,4])
 'list([0, 1, 2]); list([2, 3, 4]); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo([0,1,2], [2,3,4], False)
 'list([0, 1, 2]); list([2, 3, 4]); bool(0); '
+
 >>> x.foo([0,1,2], [2,3,4], True)
 'list([0, 1, 2]); list([2, 3, 4]); bool(1); '
+
 >>> x = X(1)
 >>> x.get_state()
 'int(1); char(D); string(constructor); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x = X(1, 'X')
 >>> x.get_state()
 'int(1); char(X); string(constructor); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x = X(1, 'X', "Yabadabadoo")
 >>> x.get_state()
 'int(1); char(X); string(Yabadabadoo); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x = X(1, 'X', "Phoenix", 3.65)
 >>> x.get_state()
 'int(1); char(X); string(Phoenix); double(3.65); '
+
 >>> x.bar2().get_state()
 'int(0); char(D); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar2(1).get_state()
 'int(1); char(D); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar2(1, 'K').get_state()
 'int(1); char(K); string(default); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar2(1, 'K', "Kim").get_state()
 'int(1); char(K); string(Kim); double(0.0); '
+
 >>> x.bar2(1, 'K', "Kim", 9.9).get_state()
 'int(1); char(K); string(Kim); double(9.9); '
+
 >>> x = X("Phoenix", 1)
 >>> x.get_state()
 'Got exactly two arguments from constructor: string(Phoenix); bool(1); '
 
+>>> def printdoc(x):
+...     print x.__doc__
+
+>>> printdoc(X.__init__)
+doc of init
+
+>>> printdoc(Y.__init__)
+doc of Y init
+
+>>> printdoc(X.bar2)
+doc of X::bar2
+
 """
 def run(args = None):
     import sys