diff --git a/Lib/test/test_property.py b/Lib/test/test_property.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_property.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_property.py
@@ -209,6 +209,26 @@
 
     @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.optimize >= 2,
                      "Docstrings are omitted with -O2 and above")
+    def test_prefer_explicit_doc(self):
+        self.assertEqual(property(doc="explicit doc").__doc__, "explicit doc")
+        self.assertEqual(PropertySub(doc="explicit doc").__doc__, "explicit doc")
+
+        class Foo(object):
+            spam = PropertySub(doc="spam explicit doc")
+            @spam.getter
+            def spam(self):
+                """ignored as doc already set"""
+                return 1
+
+            def _stuff_getter(self):
+                """ignored as doc set directly"""
+            stuff = PropertySub(doc="stuff doc argument", fget=_stuff_getter)
+
+        self.assertEqual(Foo.spam.__doc__, "spam explicit doc")
+        self.assertEqual(Foo.stuff.__doc__, "stuff doc argument")
+
+    @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.optimize >= 2,
+                     "Docstrings are omitted with -O2 and above")
     def test_property_setter_copies_getter_docstring(self):
         class Foo(object):
             def __init__(self): self._spam = 1
diff --git a/Objects/descrobject.c b/Objects/descrobject.c
--- a/Objects/descrobject.c
+++ b/Objects/descrobject.c
@@ -1477,6 +1477,7 @@
 static int
 property_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
+    _Py_IDENTIFIER(__doc__);
     PyObject *get = NULL, *set = NULL, *del = NULL, *doc = NULL;
     static char *kwlist[] = {"fget", "fset", "fdel", "doc", 0};
     propertyobject *prop = (propertyobject *)self;
@@ -1505,31 +1506,22 @@
 
     /* if no docstring given and the getter has one, use that one */
     if ((doc == NULL || doc == Py_None) && get != NULL) {
-        _Py_IDENTIFIER(__doc__);
         PyObject *get_doc = _PyObject_GetAttrId(get, &PyId___doc__);
-        if (get_doc) {
-            if (Py_TYPE(self) == &PyProperty_Type) {
-                Py_XDECREF(prop->prop_doc);
-                prop->prop_doc = get_doc;
-            }
-            else {
-                /* If this is a property subclass, put __doc__
-                in dict of the subclass instance instead,
-                otherwise it gets shadowed by __doc__ in the
-                class's dict. */
-                int err = _PyObject_SetAttrId(self, &PyId___doc__, get_doc);
-                Py_DECREF(get_doc);
-                if (err < 0)
-                    return -1;
-            }
-            prop->getter_doc = 1;
-        }
-        else if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_Exception)) {
-            PyErr_Clear();
-        }
-        else {
+        if (!get_doc)
             return -1;
-        }
+
+        Py_XDECREF(prop->prop_doc);
+        prop->prop_doc = get_doc;
+        prop->getter_doc = 1;
+    }
+
+    /* If this is a property subclass, put __doc__ in dict of the subclass
+       instance as well, otherwise it gets shadowed by __doc__ in the
+       class's dict. */
+    if (Py_TYPE(self) != &PyProperty_Type) {
+        int err = _PyObject_SetAttrId(self, &PyId___doc__, prop->prop_doc);
+        if (err < 0)
+            return -1;
     }
 
     return 0;