diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_runme.py
index 9ef8dbd52..90edda132 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_runme.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate.function5),
 comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate.function6),
     """\
 Test for default args
-:type a: int
+:type a: int, optional
 :param a: Some parameter, default is 42"""
 )
 comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate.function7),
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_style2_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_style2_runme.py
index b75045d59..a24f5defc 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_style2_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_basic_translate_style2_runme.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate_style2.function5),
 comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate_style2.function6),
     """\
 Test for default args
-:type a: int
+:type a: int, optional
 :param a: Some parameter, default is 42"""
 )
 comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_basic_translate_style2.function7),
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_misc_constructs_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_misc_constructs_runme.py
index 11aa53ba3..c0b5c1620 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_misc_constructs_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/doxygen_misc_constructs_runme.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ comment_verifier.check(inspect.getdoc(doxygen_misc_constructs.getAddress),
 :param fileName: name of the file, where the source line is located
 :type line: int
 :param line: line number
-:type isGetSize: boolean
+:type isGetSize: boolean, optional
 :param isGetSize: if set, for every object location both address and size are returned
 
 Connection::getId() """)
diff --git a/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.cxx b/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.cxx
index 0238cbfa4..579b144ca 100644
--- a/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.cxx
+++ b/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.cxx
@@ -443,6 +443,23 @@ std::string PyDocConverter::getParamType(std::string param) {
   return type;
 }
 
+std::string PyDocConverter::getParamValue(std::string param) {
+  std::string value;
+
+  ParmList *plist = CopyParmList(Getattr(currentNode, "parms"));
+  for (Parm *p = plist; p; p = nextSibling(p)) {
+    String *pname = Getattr(p, "name");
+    if (Char(pname) != param)
+      continue;
+
+    String *pval = Getattr(p, "value");
+    if (pval) value = Char(pval);
+    break;
+  }
+  Delete(plist);
+  return value;
+}
+
 std::string PyDocConverter::translateSubtree(DoxygenEntity &doxygenEntity) {
   std::string translatedComment;
 
@@ -651,6 +668,7 @@ void PyDocConverter::handleTagParam(DoxygenEntity &tag, std::string &translatedC
   const std::string &paramName = paramNameEntity.data;
 
   const std::string paramType = getParamType(paramName);
+  const std::string paramValue = getParamValue(paramName);
 
   // Get command option, e.g. "in", "out", or "in,out"
   string commandOpt = getCommandOption(tag.typeOfEntity);
@@ -661,6 +679,12 @@ void PyDocConverter::handleTagParam(DoxygenEntity &tag, std::string &translatedC
   std::string suffix;
   if (commandOpt.size() > 0)
     suffix = ", " + commandOpt;
+  
+  // If the parameter has a default value, flag it as optional in the
+  // generated type definition.  Particularly helpful when the python
+  // call is generated with *args, **kwargs.
+  if (paramValue.size() > 0)
+    suffix += ", optional";  
 
   if (!paramType.empty()) {
     translatedComment += ":type " + paramName + ": " + paramType + suffix + "\n";
diff --git a/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.h b/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.h
index df8997d76..07c5ce51e 100644
--- a/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.h
+++ b/Source/Doxygen/pydoc.h
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@ protected:
    */
   std::string getParamType(std::string name);
 
+  /*
+   * Simple helper function to retrieve the parameter value
+   */
+  std::string getParamValue(std::string name);
+
 private:
   // temporary thing, should be refactored somehow
   Node *currentNode;