diff --git a/cornice/ext/sphinxext.py b/cornice/ext/sphinxext.py
index 46802e6b..27e2497b 100644
--- a/cornice/ext/sphinxext.py
+++ b/cornice/ext/sphinxext.py
@@ -97,6 +97,19 @@ def run(self):
 
         return [self._render_service(s) for s in services]
 
+    def _resolve_obj_to_docstring(self, obj, args):
+        # Resolve a view or validator to an object if type string
+        # and return docstring.
+        if is_string(obj):
+            if 'klass' in args:
+                ob = args['klass']
+                obj_ = getattr(ob, obj.lower())
+                return format_docstring(obj_)
+            else:
+                return ''
+        else:
+            return format_docstring(obj)
+
     def _render_service(self, service):
         service_id = "service-%d" % self.env.new_serialno('service')
         service_node = nodes.section(ids=[service_id])
@@ -115,13 +128,7 @@ def _render_service(self, service):
             method_node = nodes.section(ids=[method_id])
             method_node += nodes.title(text=method)
 
-            if is_string(view):
-                if 'klass' in args:
-                    ob = args['klass']
-                    view_ = getattr(ob, view.lower())
-                    docstring = trim(view_.__doc__ or "") + '\n'
-            else:
-                docstring = trim(view.__doc__ or "") + '\n'
+            docstring = self._resolve_obj_to_docstring(view, args)
 
             if 'schema' in args:
                 schema = args['schema']
@@ -167,8 +174,7 @@ def _render_service(self, service):
                 method_node += attrs_node
 
             for validator in args.get('validators', ()):
-                if validator.__doc__ is not None:
-                    docstring += trim(validator.__doc__)
+                docstring += self._resolve_obj_to_docstring(validator, args)
 
             if 'accept' in args:
                 accept = to_list(args['accept'])
@@ -203,12 +209,15 @@ def _render_service(self, service):
             method_node += response
 
             service_node += method_node
-
         return service_node
 
 
 # Utils
 
+def format_docstring(obj):
+    """Return trimmed docstring with newline from object."""
+    return trim(obj.__doc__ or "") + '\n'
+
 
 def trim(docstring):
     """
diff --git a/cornice/tests/ext/dummy/views.py b/cornice/tests/ext/dummy/views.py
index 9a4b4303..064cc24e 100644
--- a/cornice/tests/ext/dummy/views.py
+++ b/cornice/tests/ext/dummy/views.py
@@ -12,19 +12,25 @@ def __init__(self, request, context=None):
         self.context = context
 
     def collection_get(self):
-        """returns yay"""
+        """Returns yay."""
         return 'yay'
 
 
 def get_info(request):
-    "returns the user data"
+    """Returns the user data."""
     username = request.matchdict['username']
     return _USERS[username]
 
 
+def validate(request):
+    """Dummy validation."""
+    return request
+
+
 def includeme(config):
     # FIXME this should also work in includeme
-    user_info = Service(name='users', path='/{username}/info')
+    user_info = Service(name='users', path='/{username}/info',
+                        validators=('validate'))
     user_info.add_view('get', get_info)
     config.add_cornice_service(user_info)
 
diff --git a/cornice/tests/ext/test_sphinxext.py b/cornice/tests/ext/test_sphinxext.py
index 26682a13..5cee96cd 100644
--- a/cornice/tests/ext/test_sphinxext.py
+++ b/cornice/tests/ext/test_sphinxext.py
@@ -18,21 +18,32 @@ def test_rendering(self):
 
 class TestServiceDirective(TestCase):
 
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestServiceDirective, self).setUp()
+        param = mock.Mock()
+        param.document.settings.env.new_serialno.return_value = 1
+
+        self.directive = ServiceDirective(
+            'test', [], {}, [], 1, 1, 'test', param, 1)
+        self.directive.options['app'] = 'cornice.tests.ext.dummy'
+        self.directive.options['services'] = ['users', "thing_service"]
+
     def test_module_reload(self):
-        directive = ServiceDirective(
-            'test', [], {}, [], 1, 1, 'test', mock.Mock(), 1)
-        directive.options['modules'] = ['cornice']
-        ret = directive.run()
+        self.directive.options['app'] = None
+        self.directive.options['services'] = None
+        self.directive.options['modules'] = ['cornice']
+        ret = self.directive.run()
         self.assertEqual(ret, [])
 
     def test_dummy(self):
-        param = mock.Mock()
-        param.document.settings.env.new_serialno.return_value = 1
-        directive = ServiceDirective(
-            'test', [], {}, [], 1, 1, 'test', param, 1)
-        directive.options['app'] = 'cornice.tests.ext.dummy'
-        directive.options['services'] = ['users', "thing_service"]
-        ret = directive.run()
+        ret = self.directive.run()
         self.assertEqual(len(ret), 2)
-        self.assertTrue('Users service at' in str(ret[0]))
-        self.assertTrue('Thing_Service service at ' in str(ret[1]))
+        self.assertIn('Users service at', str(ret[0]))
+        self.assertIn('Thing_Service service at ', str(ret[1]))
+
+    def test_string_validator_resolved(self):
+        # A validator defined as a string should be parsed as an obj,
+        # ensuring the docstring contains validator.__doc__ rather
+        # than str.__doc__.
+        ret = self.directive.run()
+        self.assertNotIn("str(object='') -> string", str(ret[0]))