diff --git a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
index 8031aabd..257a61e4 100644
--- a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
+++ b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ def _str_returns(self, name='Returns'):
                 out += ['']
         return out
 
+    def _escape_args_and_kwargs(self, name):
+        if name[:2] == '**':
+            return r'\*\*' + name[2:]
+        elif name[:1] == '*':
+            return r'\*' + name[1:]
+        else:
+            return name
+
     def _process_param(self, param, desc, fake_autosummary):
         """Determine how to display a parameter
 
@@ -122,7 +130,8 @@ def _process_param(self, param, desc, fake_autosummary):
         complicated to incorporate autosummary's signature mangling, as it
         relies on Sphinx's plugin mechanism.
         """
-        param = param.strip()
+        param = self._escape_args_and_kwargs(param.strip())
+        # param = param.strip()
         # XXX: If changing the following, please check the rendering when param
         # ends with '_', e.g. 'word_'
         # See https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/pull/144
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
index 7b207abd..227ee643 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
@@ -1226,6 +1226,32 @@ class Dummy:
     assert "test attribute" in str(doc)
 
 
+def test_args_and_kwargs():
+    cfg = dict()
+    doc = SphinxDocString("""
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    param1 : int
+        First parameter
+    *args : tuple
+        Arguments
+    **kwargs : dict
+        Keyword arguments
+    """, config=cfg)
+    line_by_line_compare(str(doc), """
+:Parameters:
+
+    **param1** : int
+        First parameter
+
+    **\*args** : tuple
+        Arguments
+
+    **\*\*kwargs** : dict
+        Keyword arguments
+    """)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import nose
     nose.run()