diff --git a/sphinx/pycode/parser.py b/sphinx/pycode/parser.py
index a00b481ceb4..30d27c6bac5 100644
--- a/sphinx/pycode/parser.py
+++ b/sphinx/pycode/parser.py
@@ -400,21 +400,32 @@ def visit_AnnAssign(self, node: ast.AnnAssign) -> None:
 
     def visit_Expr(self, node: ast.Expr) -> None:
         """Handles Expr node and pick up a comment if string."""
-        if (isinstance(self.previous, (ast.Assign, ast.AnnAssign)) and
-                isinstance(node.value, ast.Str)):
-            try:
-                targets = get_assign_targets(self.previous)
-                varnames = get_lvar_names(targets[0], self.get_self())
-                for varname in varnames:
-                    if isinstance(node.value.s, str):
-                        docstring = node.value.s
-                    else:
-                        docstring = node.value.s.decode(self.encoding or 'utf-8')
+        if not isinstance(self.previous, (ast.Assign, ast.AnnAssign)):
+            return
 
-                    self.add_variable_comment(varname, dedent_docstring(docstring))
-                    self.add_entry(varname)
-            except TypeError:
-                pass  # this assignment is not new definition!
+        raw_value: Optional[Any] = None
+        if isinstance(node.value, ast.Str):
+            raw_value = node.value.s
+        elif isinstance(node.value, ast.Constant):
+            if isinstance(node.value.value, (str, bytes)):
+                raw_value = node.value.value
+
+        if raw_value is None:
+            return
+
+        try:
+            targets = get_assign_targets(self.previous)
+            varnames = get_lvar_names(targets[0], self.get_self())
+            for varname in varnames:
+                if isinstance(raw_value, str):
+                    docstring = raw_value
+                else:
+                    docstring = raw_value.decode(self.encoding or 'utf-8')
+
+                self.add_variable_comment(varname, dedent_docstring(docstring))
+                self.add_entry(varname)
+        except TypeError:
+            pass  # this assignment is not new definition!
 
     def visit_Try(self, node: ast.Try) -> None:
         """Handles Try node and processes body and else-clause.
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/conf.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e5f6bb97a20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('.'))
+
+extensions = ['sphinx.ext.autodoc']
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/index.rst b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7382fc59dfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Type Alias Docstring Fixtures
+=============================
+
+.. automodule:: type_alias_docstrings
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/type_alias_docstrings.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/type_alias_docstrings.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..253c931b931
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc-typealias/type_alias_docstrings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""Fixtures for type alias docstring handling tests."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional
+
+
+ScaffoldOpts = Dict[str, Any]
+"""Dictionary with PyScaffold's options, see ``pyscaffold.api.create_project``.
+Should be treated as immutable (copy before mutating).
+
+Please notice some behaviours given by the options **SHOULD** be observed. For
+example, files should be overwritten when the **force** option is ``True``.
+Similarly when **pretend** is ``True``, no operation should be really
+performed, but any action should be logged as if realized.
+"""
+
+
+FileContents = Optional[str]
+"""When the file content is ``None``, the file should not be written to disk.
+Empty files are represented by an empty string ``""`` as content.
+"""
+
+
+FileOp = Callable[[Path, FileContents, ScaffoldOpts], Optional[Path]]
+"""Signature of functions considered file operations::
+
+    Callable[[Path, FileContents, ScaffoldOpts], Optional[Path]]
+
+- **path** (:class:`pathlib.Path`): file path potentially written to disk.
+- **contents** (:obj:`FileContents`): usual text content. :obj:`None` skips
+  writing the file.
+- **opts** (:obj:`ScaffoldOpts`): a dict with PyScaffold's options.
+
+If a file is written (or permissions are changed) the implementation should
+return the :class:`pathlib.Path`. Otherwise :obj:`None` should be returned.
+"""
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autodoc_autodata.py b/tests/test_ext_autodoc_autodata.py
index d01e45fc10a..b79b141266b 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autodoc_autodata.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autodoc_autodata.py
@@ -155,3 +155,35 @@ def test_autodata_hide_value(app):
         '   :meta hide-value:',
         '',
     ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.sphinx('html', testroot='ext-autodoc-typealias')
+def test_autodata_type_alias_docstring(monkeypatch, app):
+    from sphinx.pycode import parser
+
+    class _FakeStr(parser.ast.AST):
+        _fields = ()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(parser.ast, 'Str', _FakeStr, raising=False)
+
+    actual = do_autodoc(app, 'data', 'type_alias_docstrings.ScaffoldOpts')
+    assert list(actual) == [
+        '',
+        '.. py:data:: ScaffoldOpts',
+        '   :module: type_alias_docstrings',
+        '',
+        '   Dictionary with PyScaffold\'s options, see '
+        '``pyscaffold.api.create_project``.',
+        '   Should be treated as immutable (copy before mutating).',
+        '',
+        '   Please notice some behaviours given by the options **SHOULD** be '
+        'observed. For',
+        '   example, files should be overwritten when the **force** option is '
+        '``True``.',
+        '   Similarly when **pretend** is ``True``, no operation should be really',
+        '   performed, but any action should be logged as if realized.',
+        '',
+        '   alias of :class:`~typing.Dict`\\ [:class:`str`, '
+        ':class:`~typing.Any`]',
+        '',
+    ]