diff --git a/libsolidity/AST.h b/libsolidity/AST.h
index dc34e3695..81a12ad1a 100644
--- a/libsolidity/AST.h
+++ b/libsolidity/AST.h
@@ -173,8 +173,9 @@ private:
 class FunctionDefinition: public Declaration
 {
 public:
-	FunctionDefinition(Location const& _location, ASTPointer<ASTString> const& _name, bool _isPublic,
-					std::string const& _documentation,
+	FunctionDefinition(Location const& _location, ASTPointer<ASTString> const& _name,
+					bool _isPublic,
+					ASTPointer<ASTString> const& _documentation,
 					ASTPointer<ParameterList> const& _parameters,
 					bool _isDeclaredConst,
 					ASTPointer<ParameterList> const& _returnParameters,
@@ -184,7 +185,9 @@ public:
 	m_isDeclaredConst(_isDeclaredConst),
 	m_returnParameters(_returnParameters),
 	m_body(_body),
-	m_documentation(_documentation) {}
+	m_documentation(_documentation)
+	{}
+
 	virtual void accept(ASTVisitor& _visitor) override;
 
 	bool isPublic() const { return m_isPublic; }
@@ -194,7 +197,9 @@ public:
 	std::vector<ASTPointer<VariableDeclaration>> const& getReturnParameters() const { return m_returnParameters->getParameters(); }
 	ASTPointer<ParameterList> const& getReturnParameterList() const { return m_returnParameters; }
 	Block& getBody() { return *m_body; }
-	std::string& getDocumentation() { return m_documentation; }
+	/// @return A shared pointer of an ASTString.
+	/// Can contain a nullptr in which case indicates absence of documentation
+	ASTPointer<ASTString> const& getDocumentation() { return m_documentation; }
 
 	void addLocalVariable(VariableDeclaration const& _localVariable) { m_localVariables.push_back(&_localVariable); }
 	std::vector<VariableDeclaration const*> const& getLocalVariables() const { return m_localVariables; }
@@ -208,7 +213,7 @@ private:
 	bool m_isDeclaredConst;
 	ASTPointer<ParameterList> m_returnParameters;
 	ASTPointer<Block> m_body;
-	std::string m_documentation;
+	ASTPointer<ASTString> m_documentation;
 
 	std::vector<VariableDeclaration const*> m_localVariables;
 };
diff --git a/libsolidity/Parser.cpp b/libsolidity/Parser.cpp
index 17fd2d78c..72921623a 100644
--- a/libsolidity/Parser.cpp
+++ b/libsolidity/Parser.cpp
@@ -117,9 +117,13 @@ ASTPointer<ContractDefinition> Parser::parseContractDefinition()
 ASTPointer<FunctionDefinition> Parser::parseFunctionDefinition(bool _isPublic)
 {
 	ASTNodeFactory nodeFactory(*this);
+	ASTPointer<ASTString> docstring;
 	expectToken(Token::FUNCTION);
-	std::string docstring = m_scanner->getCurrentCommentLiteral();
-	m_scanner->clearCurrentCommentLiteral();
+	if (m_scanner->getCurrentCommentLiteral() != "")
+	{
+		docstring = std::make_shared<ASTString>(m_scanner->getCurrentCommentLiteral());
+		m_scanner->clearCurrentCommentLiteral();
+	}
 	ASTPointer<ASTString> name(expectIdentifierToken());
 	ASTPointer<ParameterList> parameters(parseParameterList());
 	bool isDeclaredConst = false;
diff --git a/test/solidityParser.cpp b/test/solidityParser.cpp
index 3a95ec065..89ef0ac0f 100644
--- a/test/solidityParser.cpp
+++ b/test/solidityParser.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(function_natspec_documentation)
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(contract = parseText(text));
 	auto functions = contract->getDefinedFunctions();
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(0));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), " This is a test function");
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(), " This is a test function");
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(function_normal_comments)
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(function_normal_comments)
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(contract = parseText(text));
 	auto functions = contract->getDefinedFunctions();
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(0));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), "");
+	BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE(function->getDocumentation().get() == nullptr,
+						"Should not have gotten a Natspect comment for this function");
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(multiple_functions_natspec_documentation)
@@ -141,16 +142,17 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(multiple_functions_natspec_documentation)
 	auto functions = contract->getDefinedFunctions();
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(0));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), " This is test function 1");
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(), " This is test function 1");
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(1));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), " This is test function 2");
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(), " This is test function 2");
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(2));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), "");
+	BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE(function->getDocumentation().get() == nullptr,
+						"Should not have gotten natspec comment for functionName3()");
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(3));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), " This is test function 4");
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(), " This is test function 4");
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(multiline_function_documentation)
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(multiline_function_documentation)
 	auto functions = contract->getDefinedFunctions();
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(0));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(),
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(),
 					  " This is a test function\n"
 					  " and it has 2 lines");
 }
@@ -194,10 +196,10 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(natspec_comment_in_function_body)
 	auto functions = contract->getDefinedFunctions();
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(0));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(), " fun1 description");
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(), " fun1 description");
 
 	BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(function = functions.at(1));
-	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(function->getDocumentation(),
+	BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(*function->getDocumentation().get(),
 					  " This is a test function\n"
 					  " and it has 2 lines");
 }