diff --git a/sphinx/util/docfields.py b/sphinx/util/docfields.py
index 3a3367ebe5d..f92a962e2b0 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/docfields.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/docfields.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     :license: BSD, see LICENSE for details.
 """
 
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, List, Tuple, Type, Union, cast
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Type, Union, cast
 
 from docutils import nodes
 from docutils.nodes import Node
@@ -35,6 +35,37 @@ def _is_single_paragraph(node: nodes.field_body) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+def _split_typed_field_argument(fieldarg: str) -> Optional[Tuple[str, str]]:
+    """Split *fieldarg* into type/name around the first top-level whitespace."""
+    stripped = fieldarg.lstrip()
+    if not stripped:
+        return None
+
+    depth = 0
+    opening = {
+        '(': ')',
+        '[': ']',
+        '{': '}',
+        '<': '>',
+    }
+    closing = {v: k for k, v in opening.items()}
+
+    for index, char in enumerate(stripped):
+        if char in opening:
+            depth += 1
+        elif char in closing:
+            if depth > 0:
+                depth -= 1
+        elif char.isspace() and depth == 0:
+            type_part = stripped[:index].rstrip()
+            name_part = stripped[index:].lstrip()
+            if type_part and name_part:
+                return type_part, name_part
+            return None
+
+    return None
+
+
 class Field:
     """A doc field that is never grouped.  It can have an argument or not, the
     argument can be linked using a specified *rolename*.  Field should be used
@@ -297,13 +328,10 @@ def transform(self, node: nodes.field_list) -> None:
 
             # also support syntax like ``:param type name:``
             if typedesc.is_typed:
-                try:
-                    argtype, argname = fieldarg.split(None, 1)
-                except ValueError:
-                    pass
-                else:
-                    types.setdefault(typename, {})[argname] = \
-                        [nodes.Text(argtype)]
+                split_result = _split_typed_field_argument(fieldarg)
+                if split_result:
+                    argtype, argname = split_result
+                    types.setdefault(typename, {})[argname] = [nodes.Text(argtype)]
                     fieldarg = argname
 
             translatable_content = nodes.inline(field_body.rawsource,
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/typehints.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/typehints.py
index bb56054c30f..c3453f41fb5 100644
--- a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/typehints.py
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/typehints.py
@@ -62,6 +62,16 @@ def complex_func(arg1, arg2, arg3=None, *args, **kwargs):
     pass
 
 
+def docstring_typed_params(opc_meta, nested):
+    """Legacy typed field syntax using balanced delimiters.
+
+    :param dict(str, str) opc_meta: metadata mapping
+    :param dict(str, Tuple[int, int]) nested: nested mapping
+    """
+
+    pass
+
+
 def missing_attr(c,
                  a,  # type: str
                  b=None  # type: Optional[str]
diff --git a/tests/test_domain_py.py b/tests/test_domain_py.py
index 569390c403d..c3642e18c43 100644
--- a/tests/test_domain_py.py
+++ b/tests/test_domain_py.py
@@ -984,6 +984,38 @@ def test_info_field_list(app):
                 **{"py:module": "example", "py:class": "Class"})
 
 
+def test_info_field_list_param_parentheses_commas(app):
+    text = (".. py:function:: func\n"
+            "\n"
+            "   :param dict(str, str) opc_meta: blah\n")
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+
+    field_list = doctree.traverse(nodes.field_list)[0]
+    paragraph = field_list[0][1][0]
+
+    assert_node(paragraph[0], addnodes.literal_strong, "opc_meta")
+    assert_node(paragraph[2], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="dict")
+    assert_node(paragraph[4], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="str")
+    assert_node(paragraph[6], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="str")
+
+
+def test_info_field_list_param_nested_tuple(app):
+    text = (".. py:function:: func\n"
+            "\n"
+            "   :param dict(str, Tuple[int, int]) opc_meta: blah\n")
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+
+    field_list = doctree.traverse(nodes.field_list)[0]
+    paragraph = field_list[0][1][0]
+
+    assert_node(paragraph[0], addnodes.literal_strong, "opc_meta")
+    assert_node(paragraph[2], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="dict")
+    assert_node(paragraph[4], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="str")
+    assert_node(paragraph[6], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="Tuple")
+    assert_node(paragraph[8], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="int")
+    assert_node(paragraph[10], pending_xref, refdomain="py", reftype="class", reftarget="int")
+
+
 def test_info_field_list_var(app):
     text = (".. py:class:: Class\n"
             "\n"
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py b/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
index 4c16886b3fc..58bd575cc39 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
@@ -1903,6 +1903,22 @@ def test_autodoc_typed_inherited_instance_variables(app):
     ]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.sphinx('html', testroot='ext-autodoc')
+def test_autodoc_docstring_typed_params(app):
+    actual = do_autodoc(app, 'function', 'target.typehints.docstring_typed_params')
+    assert list(actual) == [
+        '',
+        '.. py:function:: docstring_typed_params(opc_meta, nested)',
+        '   :module: target.typehints',
+        '',
+        '   Legacy typed field syntax using balanced delimiters.',
+        '',
+        '   :param dict(str, str) opc_meta: metadata mapping',
+        '   :param dict(str, Tuple[int, int]) nested: nested mapping',
+        '',
+    ]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.sphinx('html', testroot='ext-autodoc')
 def test_autodoc_GenericAlias(app):
     options = {"members": None,