diff --git a/src/go/doc/reader.go b/src/go/doc/reader.go
index 4950e7c6c3..6db5c21c4a 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/reader.go
+++ b/src/go/doc/reader.go
@@ -365,6 +365,12 @@ func (r *reader) readType(decl *ast.GenDecl, spec *ast.TypeSpec) {
 	}
 }
 
+// isPredeclared reports whether n denotes a predeclared type.
+//
+func (r *reader) isPredeclared(n string) bool {
+	return predeclaredTypes[n] && r.types[n] == nil
+}
+
 // readFunc processes a func or method declaration.
 //
 func (r *reader) readFunc(fun *ast.FuncDecl) {
@@ -398,29 +404,30 @@ func (r *reader) readFunc(fun *ast.FuncDecl) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Associate factory functions with the first visible result type, if that
-	// is the only type returned.
+	// Associate factory functions with the first visible result type, as long as
+	// others are predeclared types.
 	if fun.Type.Results.NumFields() >= 1 {
 		var typ *namedType // type to associate the function with
 		numResultTypes := 0
 		for _, res := range fun.Type.Results.List {
-			// exactly one (named or anonymous) result associated
-			// with the first type in result signature (there may
-			// be more than one result)
 			factoryType := res.Type
 			if t, ok := factoryType.(*ast.ArrayType); ok {
 				// We consider functions that return slices or arrays of type
 				// T (or pointers to T) as factory functions of T.
 				factoryType = t.Elt
 			}
-			if n, imp := baseTypeName(factoryType); !imp && r.isVisible(n) {
+			if n, imp := baseTypeName(factoryType); !imp && r.isVisible(n) && !r.isPredeclared(n) {
 				if t := r.lookupType(n); t != nil {
 					typ = t
 					numResultTypes++
+					if numResultTypes > 1 {
+						break
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		// If there is exactly one result type, associate the function with that type.
+		// If there is exactly one result type,
+		// associate the function with that type.
 		if numResultTypes == 1 {
 			typ.funcs.set(fun, r.mode&PreserveAST != 0)
 			return
@@ -494,7 +501,7 @@ func (r *reader) readFile(src *ast.File) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// add all declarations
+	// add all declarations but for functions which are processed in a separate pass
 	for _, decl := range src.Decls {
 		switch d := decl.(type) {
 		case *ast.GenDecl:
@@ -548,8 +555,6 @@ func (r *reader) readFile(src *ast.File) {
 					}
 				}
 			}
-		case *ast.FuncDecl:
-			r.readFunc(d)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -586,6 +591,15 @@ func (r *reader) readPackage(pkg *ast.Package, mode Mode) {
 		}
 		r.readFile(f)
 	}
+
+	// process functions now that we have better type information
+	for _, f := range pkg.Files {
+		for _, decl := range f.Decls {
+			if d, ok := decl.(*ast.FuncDecl); ok {
+				r.readFunc(d)
+			}
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.0.golden b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.0.golden
index 76c2855560..6b59774fb9 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.0.golden
+++ b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.0.golden
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ FUNCTIONS
 	// F1 should not be associated with T1 
 	func F1() (*T1, *T2)
 
+	// F10 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F10() (T1, T2, error)
+
 	// F4 should not be associated with a type (same as F1) 
 	func F4() (a T1, b T2)
 
+	// F9 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F9() (int, T1, T2)
+
 
 TYPES
 	// 
@@ -28,6 +34,18 @@ TYPES
 	// F3 should be associated with T1 because b.T3 is from a ...
 	func F3() (a T1, b p.T3)
 
+	// F5 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F5() (T1, error)
+
+	// F6 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F6() (*T1, error)
+
+	// F7 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F7() (T1, string)
+
+	// F8 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F8() (int, T1, string)
+
 	// 
 	type T2 struct{}
 
diff --git a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.1.golden b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.1.golden
index b0a327ffd6..4b9b9f6477 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.1.golden
+++ b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.1.golden
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ FUNCTIONS
 	// F1 should not be associated with T1 
 	func F1() (*T1, *T2)
 
+	// F10 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F10() (T1, T2, error)
+
 	// F4 should not be associated with a type (same as F1) 
 	func F4() (a T1, b T2)
 
+	// F9 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F9() (int, T1, T2)
+
 
 TYPES
 	// 
@@ -28,6 +34,18 @@ TYPES
 	// F3 should be associated with T1 because b.T3 is from a ...
 	func F3() (a T1, b p.T3)
 
+	// F5 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F5() (T1, error)
+
+	// F6 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F6() (*T1, error)
+
+	// F7 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F7() (T1, string)
+
+	// F8 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F8() (int, T1, string)
+
 	// 
 	func (t T1) hello() string
 
diff --git a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.2.golden b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.2.golden
index 76c2855560..6b59774fb9 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.2.golden
+++ b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.2.golden
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ FUNCTIONS
 	// F1 should not be associated with T1 
 	func F1() (*T1, *T2)
 
+	// F10 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F10() (T1, T2, error)
+
 	// F4 should not be associated with a type (same as F1) 
 	func F4() (a T1, b T2)
 
+	// F9 should not be associated with T1. 
+	func F9() (int, T1, T2)
+
 
 TYPES
 	// 
@@ -28,6 +34,18 @@ TYPES
 	// F3 should be associated with T1 because b.T3 is from a ...
 	func F3() (a T1, b p.T3)
 
+	// F5 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F5() (T1, error)
+
+	// F6 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F6() (*T1, error)
+
+	// F7 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F7() (T1, string)
+
+	// F8 should be associated with T1. 
+	func F8() (int, T1, string)
+
 	// 
 	type T2 struct{}
 
diff --git a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.go b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.go
index 500d49511b..51c7ac1268 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.go
+++ b/src/go/doc/testdata/issue12839.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 // Package issue12839 is a go/doc test to test association of a function
 // that returns multiple types.
 // See golang.org/issue/12839.
+// (See also golang.org/issue/27928.)
 package issue12839
 
 import "p"
@@ -36,3 +37,33 @@ func F3() (a T1, b p.T3) {
 func F4() (a T1, b T2) {
 	return T1{}, T2{}
 }
+
+// F5 should be associated with T1.
+func F5() (T1, error) {
+	return T1{}, nil
+}
+
+// F6 should be associated with T1.
+func F6() (*T1, error) {
+	return &T1{}, nil
+}
+
+// F7 should be associated with T1.
+func F7() (T1, string) {
+	return T1{}, nil
+}
+
+// F8 should be associated with T1.
+func F8() (int, T1, string) {
+	return 0, T1{}, nil
+}
+
+// F9 should not be associated with T1.
+func F9() (int, T1, T2) {
+	return 0, T1{}, T2{}
+}
+
+// F10 should not be associated with T1.
+func F10() (T1, T2, error) {
+	return T1{}, T2{}, nil
+}