diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
index e16ab8ce5c5..642e0cfd805 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
@@ -1670,7 +1670,8 @@ def add_directive_header(self, sig: str) -> None:
             self.add_line('   ' + _('Bases: %s') % ', '.join(base_classes), sourcename)
 
     def get_object_members(self, want_all: bool) -> Tuple[bool, ObjectMembers]:
-        members = get_class_members(self.object, self.objpath, self.get_attr)
+        members = get_class_members(self.object, self.objpath, self.get_attr,
+                                    self.config.autodoc_inherit_docstrings)
         if not want_all:
             if not self.options.members:
                 return False, []  # type: ignore
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/importer.py b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/importer.py
index 85c1e81be64..d392ae75ddf 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/importer.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/importer.py
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ def get_object_members(subject: Any, objpath: List[str], attrgetter: Callable,
     return members
 
 
-def get_class_members(subject: Any, objpath: List[str], attrgetter: Callable
-                      ) -> Dict[str, "ObjectMember"]:
+def get_class_members(subject: Any, objpath: List[str], attrgetter: Callable,
+                      inherit_docstrings: bool = True) -> Dict[str, "ObjectMember"]:
     """Get members and attributes of target class."""
     from sphinx.ext.autodoc import INSTANCEATTR, ObjectMember
 
@@ -290,6 +290,11 @@ def get_class_members(subject: Any, objpath: List[str], attrgetter: Callable
                     elif (ns == qualname and docstring and
                           isinstance(members[name], ObjectMember) and
                           not members[name].docstring):
+                        if cls != subject and not inherit_docstrings:
+                            # If we are in the MRO of the class and not the class itself,
+                            # and we do not want to inherit docstrings, then skip setting
+                            # the docstring below
+                            continue
                         # attribute is already known, because dir(subject) enumerates it.
                         # But it has no docstring yet
                         members[name].docstring = '\n'.join(docstring)