diff --git a/lib/jsdoc/doclet.js b/lib/jsdoc/doclet.js
index 409c2fb3..0e719c98 100644
--- a/lib/jsdoc/doclet.js
+++ b/lib/jsdoc/doclet.js
@@ -264,7 +264,6 @@ function removeGlobal(longname) {
 Doclet.prototype.setMemberof = function(sid) {
     /**
      * The longname of the symbol that contains this one, if any.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#memberof
      * @type {string}
      */
     this.memberof = removeGlobal(sid)
@@ -279,7 +278,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMemberof = function(sid) {
 Doclet.prototype.setLongname = function(name) {
     /**
      * The fully resolved symbol name.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#longname
      * @type {string}
      */
     this.longname = removeGlobal(name);
@@ -347,7 +345,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.borrow = function(source, target) {
     if (!this.borrowed) {
         /**
          * A list of symbols that are borrowed by this one, if any.
-         * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#borrowed
          * @type {Array.<string>}
          */
         this.borrowed = [];
@@ -358,7 +355,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.borrow = function(source, target) {
 Doclet.prototype.mix = function(source) {
     /**
      * A list of symbols that are mixed into this one, if any.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#mixes
      * @type Array.<string>
      */
     this.mixes = this.mixes || [];
@@ -373,7 +369,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.mix = function(source) {
 Doclet.prototype.augment = function(base) {
     /**
      * A list of symbols that are augmented by this one, if any.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#augments
      * @type Array.<string>
      */
     this.augments = this.augments || [];
@@ -388,7 +383,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.augment = function(base) {
 Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
     /**
      * Information about the source code associated with this doclet.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta
      * @namespace
      */
     this.meta = this.meta || {};
@@ -396,7 +390,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
     if (meta.range) {
         /**
          * The positions of the first and last characters of the code associated with this doclet.
-         * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.range
          * @type Array.<number>
          */
         this.meta.range = meta.range.slice(0);
@@ -405,13 +398,11 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
     if (meta.lineno) {
         /**
          * The name of the file containing the code associated with this doclet.
-         * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.filename
          * @type string
          */
         this.meta.filename = path.basename(meta.filename);
         /**
          * The line number of the code associated with this doclet.
-         * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.lineno
          * @type number
          */
         this.meta.lineno = meta.lineno;
@@ -424,7 +415,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
 
     /**
      * Information about the code symbol.
-     * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.code
      * @namespace
      */
     this.meta.code = this.meta.code || {};
@@ -433,7 +423,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
         if (meta.code.name) {
             /**
              * The name of the symbol in the source code.
-             * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.code.name
              * @type {string}
              */
             this.meta.code.name = meta.code.name;
@@ -441,7 +430,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
         if (meta.code.type) {
             /**
              * The type of the symbol in the source code.
-             * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#
              * @type {string}
              */
             this.meta.code.type = meta.code.type;
@@ -458,7 +446,6 @@ Doclet.prototype.setMeta = function(meta) {
         if (typeof meta.code.value !== 'undefined') {
             /**
              * The value of the symbol in the source code.
-             * @alias module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet#meta.code.value
              * @type {*}
              */
             this.meta.code.value = meta.code.value;
diff --git a/lib/jsdoc/src/parser.js b/lib/jsdoc/src/parser.js
index 470c1cd5..e0c4eb77 100644
--- a/lib/jsdoc/src/parser.js
+++ b/lib/jsdoc/src/parser.js
@@ -35,6 +35,27 @@ var PARSERS = exports.PARSERS = {
 var SCHEMA = 'javascript:';
 /* eslint-enable no-script-url */
 
+function DocletCache() {
+    this._doclets = {};
+}
+
+DocletCache.prototype.get = function(name) {
+    if ( !hasOwnProp.call(this._doclets, name) ) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    // always return the most recent doclet
+    return this._doclets[name][this._doclets[name].length - 1];
+};
+
+DocletCache.prototype.put = function(name, value) {
+    if ( !hasOwnProp.call(this._doclets, name) ) {
+        this._doclets[name] = [];
+    }
+
+    this._doclets[name].push(value);
+};
+
 // TODO: docs
 exports.createParser = function(type) {
     var modulePath;
@@ -96,9 +117,11 @@ util.inherits(Parser, events.EventEmitter);
 // TODO: docs
 Parser.prototype.clear = function() {
     this._resultBuffer = [];
-    this.refs = {};
-    this.refs[jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL] = {};
-    this.refs[jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL].meta = {};
+    this._byNodeId = new DocletCache();
+    this._byLongname = new DocletCache();
+    this._byLongname.put(jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL, {
+        meta: {}
+    });
 };
 
 // TODO: update docs
@@ -247,35 +270,45 @@ Parser.prototype._walkAst = function(ast, visitor, sourceName) {
 
 // TODO: docs
 Parser.prototype.addDocletRef = function(e) {
+    var fakeDoclet;
     var node;
 
     if (e && e.code && e.code.node) {
         node = e.code.node;
-        // allow lookup from value => doclet
         if (e.doclet) {
-            this.refs[node.nodeId] = e.doclet;
+            // allow lookup from node ID => doclet
+            this._byNodeId.put(node.nodeId, e.doclet);
+            this._byLongname.put(e.doclet.longname, e.doclet);
         }
         // keep references to undocumented anonymous functions, too, as they might have scoped vars
         else if (
             (node.type === Syntax.FunctionDeclaration || node.type === Syntax.FunctionExpression) &&
-            !this.refs[node.nodeId] ) {
-            this.refs[node.nodeId] = {
+            !this._getDocletById(node.nodeId) ) {
+            fakeDoclet = {
                 longname: jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.ANONYMOUS,
                 meta: {
                     code: e.code
                 }
             };
+            this._byNodeId.put(node.nodeId, fakeDoclet);
+            this._byLongname.put(fakeDoclet.longname, fakeDoclet);
         }
     }
 };
 
 // TODO: docs
-Parser.prototype._getDoclet = function(id) {
-    if ( hasOwnProp.call(this.refs, id) ) {
-        return this.refs[id];
-    }
+Parser.prototype._getDocletById = function(id) {
+    return this._byNodeId.get(id);
+};
 
-    return null;
+/**
+ * Retrieve the most recently seen doclet that has the given longname.
+ *
+ * @param {string} longname - The longname to search for.
+ * @return {module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet?} The most recent doclet for the longname.
+ */
+Parser.prototype._getDocletByLongname = function(longname) {
+    return this._byLongname.get(longname);
 };
 
 // TODO: docs
@@ -311,7 +344,7 @@ Parser.prototype.astnodeToMemberof = function(node) {
 
     if ( (type === Syntax.FunctionDeclaration || type === Syntax.FunctionExpression ||
         type === Syntax.VariableDeclarator) && node.enclosingScope ) {
-        doclet = this._getDoclet(node.enclosingScope.nodeId);
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(node.enclosingScope.nodeId);
 
         if (!doclet) {
             result = jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.ANONYMOUS + jsdoc.name.SCOPE.PUNC.INNER;
@@ -327,7 +360,7 @@ Parser.prototype.astnodeToMemberof = function(node) {
 
         // walk up the scope chain until we find the scope in which the node is defined
         while (scope.enclosingScope) {
-            doclet = this._getDoclet(scope.enclosingScope.nodeId);
+            doclet = this._getDocletById(scope.enclosingScope.nodeId);
             if ( doclet && definedInScope(doclet, basename) ) {
                 result = [doclet.meta.vars[basename], basename];
                 break;
@@ -339,13 +372,12 @@ Parser.prototype.astnodeToMemberof = function(node) {
         }
 
         // do we know that it's a global?
-        doclet = this.refs[jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL];
-
+        doclet = this._getDocletByLongname(jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL);
         if ( doclet && definedInScope(doclet, basename) ) {
             result = [doclet.meta.vars[basename], basename];
         }
         else {
-            doclet = this._getDoclet(node.parent.nodeId);
+            doclet = this._getDocletById(node.parent.nodeId);
 
             // set the result if we found a doclet. (if we didn't, the AST node may describe a
             // global symbol.)
@@ -367,13 +399,39 @@ Parser.prototype.astnodeToMemberof = function(node) {
  */
 Parser.prototype._getParentClass = function(node) {
     var doclet;
+    var nameAtoms;
+    var scope = node.enclosingScope;
 
-    do {
-        doclet = this._getDoclet(node.enclosingScope.nodeId);
-        node = node.enclosingScope;
-    } while (node && node.enclosingScope && doclet && doclet.kind !== 'class');
+    function isClass(d) {
+        return d && d.kind === 'class';
+    }
 
-    return (doclet.kind === 'class' ? doclet : null);
+    while (scope) {
+        // get the doclet, if any, for the parent scope
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(scope.nodeId);
+
+        if (doclet) {
+            // is the doclet for a class? if so, we're done
+            if ( isClass(doclet) ) {
+                break;
+            }
+
+            // is the doclet for an instance member of a class? if so, try to get the doclet for the
+            // owning class
+            nameAtoms = jsdoc.name.shorten(doclet.longname);
+            if (nameAtoms.scope === jsdoc.name.SCOPE.PUNC.INSTANCE) {
+                doclet = this._getDocletByLongname(nameAtoms.memberof);
+                if ( isClass(doclet) ) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // move up to the next parent scope
+        scope = scope.enclosingScope;
+    }
+
+    return (isClass(doclet) ? doclet : null);
 };
 
 // TODO: docs
@@ -390,7 +448,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolveThis = function(node) {
     // In general, if there's an enclosing scope, we use the enclosing scope to resolve `this`.
     // For object properties, we use the node's parent (the object) instead.
     if (node.type !== Syntax.Property && node.enclosingScope) {
-        doclet = this._getDoclet(node.enclosingScope.nodeId);
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(node.enclosingScope.nodeId);
 
         if (!doclet) {
             result = jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.ANONYMOUS; // TODO handle global this?
@@ -402,6 +460,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolveThis = function(node) {
             parentClass = this._getParentClass(node);
 
             // like: function Foo() { this.bar = function(n) { /** blah */ this.name = n; };
+            // or:   Foo.prototype.bar = function(n) { /** blah */ this.name = n; };
             // or:   var Foo = exports.Foo = function(n) { /** blah */ this.name = n; };
             // or:   Foo.constructor = function(n) { /** blah */ this.name = n; }
             if ( parentClass || /\.constructor$/.test(doclet.longname) ) {
@@ -425,7 +484,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolveThis = function(node) {
         }
     }
     else {
-        doclet = this.refs[node.parent.nodeId];
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(node.parent.nodeId);
 
         // TODO: is this behavior correct? when do we get here?
         if (!doclet) {
@@ -450,7 +509,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolveThis = function(node) {
  * this method returns multiple doclets (in this case, the doclets for `foo` and `exports.FOO`).
  *
  * @param {Object} node - An AST node representing an object property.
- * @return {Array.<jsdoc/doclet.Doclet>} An array of doclets for the parent object or objects, or
+ * @return {Array.<module:jsdoc/doclet.Doclet>} An array of doclets for the parent object or objects, or
  * an empty array if no doclets are found.
  */
 Parser.prototype.resolvePropertyParents = function(node) {
@@ -460,7 +519,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolvePropertyParents = function(node) {
     var doclets = [];
 
     while (currentAncestor) {
-        doclet = this._getDoclet(currentAncestor.nodeId);
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(currentAncestor.nodeId);
         if (doclet) {
             doclets.push(doclet);
         }
@@ -500,7 +559,7 @@ Parser.prototype.resolveVar = function(node, basename) {
         result = ''; // global
     }
     else {
-        doclet = this._getDoclet(scope.nodeId);
+        doclet = this._getDocletById(scope.nodeId);
         if ( definedInScope(doclet, basename) ) {
             result = doclet.longname;
         }
diff --git a/lib/jsdoc/src/visitor.js b/lib/jsdoc/src/visitor.js
index 4918368e..25c9bdce 100644
--- a/lib/jsdoc/src/visitor.js
+++ b/lib/jsdoc/src/visitor.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ function makeVarsFinisher(scopeDoclet) {
 function getParentDocletFromEvent(parser, e) {
     if (e.doclet && e.doclet.meta && e.doclet.meta.code && e.doclet.meta.code.node &&
         e.doclet.meta.code.node.parent) {
-        return parser._getDoclet(e.doclet.meta.code.node.parent.nodeId);
+        return parser._getDocletById(e.doclet.meta.code.node.parent.nodeId);
     }
 
     return null;
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ function makeDefaultParamFinisher(parser) {
 function makeConstructorFinisher(parser) {
     return function(e) {
         var doclet = e.doclet;
-        var parentDoclet = parser._getDoclet(e.code.node.parent.parent.nodeId);
+        var parentDoclet = parser._getDocletById(e.code.node.parent.parent.nodeId);
 
         if (!doclet || !parentDoclet || parentDoclet.undocumented) {
             return;
@@ -471,9 +471,15 @@ Visitor.prototype.visitNode = function(node, parser, filename) {
 // TODO: docs
 // TODO: note that it's essential to call this function before you try to resolve names!
 function trackVars(parser, node, e) {
-    var enclosingScopeId = node.enclosingScope ? node.enclosingScope.nodeId :
-        jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL;
-    var doclet = parser.refs[enclosingScopeId];
+    var doclet;
+    var enclosingScopeId = node.enclosingScope ? node.enclosingScope.nodeId : null;
+
+    if (enclosingScopeId) {
+        doclet = parser._getDocletById(enclosingScopeId);
+    }
+    else {
+        doclet = parser._getDocletByLongname(jsdoc.name.LONGNAMES.GLOBAL);
+    }
 
     if (doclet) {
         doclet.meta.vars = doclet.meta.vars || {};
diff --git a/test/fixtures/instanceproperty.js b/test/fixtures/instanceproperty.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2dc1b13b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/instanceproperty.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/** @class */
+function Foo() {}
+
+/** Set the bar. */
+Foo.prototype.setBar = function(bar) {
+    /** The bar. */
+    this.bar = bar;
+};
diff --git a/test/specs/documentation/instanceproperty.js b/test/specs/documentation/instanceproperty.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52cfdf32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/specs/documentation/instanceproperty.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('Properties documented in instance methods', function() {
+    var docSet = jasmine.getDocSetFromFile('test/fixtures/instanceproperty.js');
+    var bar = docSet.getByLongname('Foo#bar')[0];
+
+    it('should set the correct longname when a property is documented in an instance method', function() {
+        expect(bar).toBeDefined();
+        expect(bar.name).toBe('bar');
+        expect(bar.kind).toBe('member');
+    });
+});