diff --git a/duchain/declarationbuilder.cpp b/duchain/declarationbuilder.cpp
--- a/duchain/declarationbuilder.cpp
+++ b/duchain/declarationbuilder.cpp
@@ -920,10 +920,12 @@
             v.lastDeclaration()->setType(container);
         }
     };
-
-    foreach ( const QString& key, items.keys() ) {
-        if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(function.data(), key, &args) ) {
-            items[key]();
+    auto docstring = function->comment();
+    if ( ! docstring.isEmpty() ) {
+        foreach ( const auto& key, items.keys() ) {
+            if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(docstring, key, &args) ) {
+                items[key]();
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1345,24 +1347,25 @@
     dec->clearBaseClasses();
     dec->setClassType(ClassDeclarationData::Class);
 
-    dec->setComment(getDocstring(node->body));
-    
-    // check whether this is a type container (list, dict, ...) or just a "normal" class
-    if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(dec, "TypeContainer") ) {
-        ListType* container = nullptr;
-        if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(dec, "hasTypedKeys") ) {
-            container = new MapType();
+    auto docstring = getDocstring(node->body);
+    dec->setComment(docstring);
+    if ( ! docstring.isEmpty() ) {
+        // check whether this is a type container (list, dict, ...) or just a "normal" class
+        if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(docstring, "TypeContainer") ) {
+            ListType* container = nullptr;
+            if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(docstring, "hasTypedKeys") ) {
+                container = new MapType();
+            }
+            else {
+                container = new ListType();
+            }
+            type = StructureType::Ptr(container);
         }
-        else {
-            container = new ListType();
+        if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(docstring, "IndexedTypeContainer") ) {
+            IndexedContainer* container = new IndexedContainer();
+            type = StructureType::Ptr(container);
         }
-        type = StructureType::Ptr(container);
     }
-    if ( Helper::docstringContainsHint(dec, "IndexedTypeContainer") ) {
-        IndexedContainer* container = new IndexedContainer();
-        type = StructureType::Ptr(container);
-    }
-    
     lock.unlock();
     foreach ( ExpressionAst* c, node->baseClasses ) {
         // Iterate over all the base classes, and add them to the duchain.
diff --git a/duchain/expressionvisitor.cpp b/duchain/expressionvisitor.cpp
--- a/duchain/expressionvisitor.cpp
+++ b/duchain/expressionvisitor.cpp
@@ -314,15 +314,18 @@
         return false;
     };
 
-    foreach ( const QString& currentHint, knownDecoratorHints.keys() ) {
-        QStringList arguments;
-        if ( ! Helper::docstringContainsHint(funcDecl, currentHint, &arguments) ) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        // If the hint word appears in the docstring, run the evaluation function.
-        if ( knownDecoratorHints[currentHint](arguments, currentHint) ) {
-            // We indeed found something, so we're done.
-            return;
+    auto docstring = funcDecl->comment();
+    if ( ! docstring.isEmpty() ) {
+        foreach ( const QString& currentHint, knownDecoratorHints.keys() ) {
+            QStringList arguments;
+            if ( ! Helper::docstringContainsHint(docstring, currentHint, &arguments) ) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            // If the hint word appears in the docstring, run the evaluation function.
+            if ( knownDecoratorHints[currentHint](arguments, currentHint) ) {
+                // We indeed found something, so we're done.
+                return;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/duchain/helpers.h b/duchain/helpers.h
--- a/duchain/helpers.h
+++ b/duchain/helpers.h
@@ -159,9 +159,8 @@
         return 0;
     };
 
-    static bool docstringContainsHint(Declaration* declaration, const QString& hintName, QStringList* args = 0) {
+    static bool docstringContainsHint(const QString& comment, const QString& hintName, QStringList* args = 0) {
         // TODO cache types! this is horribly inefficient
-        const QString& comment = declaration->comment();
         const QString search = "! " + hintName + " !";
         int index = comment.indexOf(search);
         if ( index >= 0 ) {