diff --git a/django/db/migrations/writer.py b/django/db/migrations/writer.py
index f73c4b78a0..d709c91707 100644
--- a/django/db/migrations/writer.py
+++ b/django/db/migrations/writer.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import types
 from django.apps import apps
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.migrations.loader import MigrationLoader
-from django.utils import datetime_safe, six
+from django.utils import datetime_safe, six, importlib
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.utils.functional import Promise
 
@@ -284,13 +284,29 @@ class MigrationWriter(object):
                 klass = value.__self__
                 module = klass.__module__
                 return "%s.%s.%s" % (module, klass.__name__, value.__name__), set(["import %s" % module])
-            elif value.__name__ == '<lambda>':
+            # Further error checking
+            if value.__name__ == '<lambda>':
                 raise ValueError("Cannot serialize function: lambda")
-            elif value.__module__ is None:
+            if value.__module__ is None:
                 raise ValueError("Cannot serialize function %r: No module" % value)
-            else:
-                module = value.__module__
-                return "%s.%s" % (module, value.__name__), set(["import %s" % module])
+            # Python 3 is a lot easier, and only uses this branch if it's not local.
+            if getattr(value, "__qualname__", None) and getattr(value, "__module__", None):
+                if "<" not in value.__qualname__:  # Qualname can include <locals>
+                    return "%s.%s" % (value.__module__, value.__qualname__), set(["import %s" % value.__module__])
+            # Python 2/fallback version
+            module_name = value.__module__
+            # Make sure it's actually there and not an unbound method
+            module = importlib.import_module(module_name)
+            if not hasattr(module, value.__name__):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Could not find function %s in %s.\nPlease note that "
+                    "due to Python 2 limitations, you cannot serialize "
+                    "unbound method functions (e.g. a method declared\n"
+                    "and used in the same class body). Please move the "
+                    "function into the main module body to use migrations.\n"
+                    "For more information, see https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.7/topics/migrations/#serializing-values"
+                )
+            return "%s.%s" % (module_name, value.__name__), set(["import %s" % module_name])
         # Classes
         elif isinstance(value, type):
             special_cases = [
diff --git a/docs/topics/migrations.txt b/docs/topics/migrations.txt
index 8a5359fec4..40ce520a03 100644
--- a/docs/topics/migrations.txt
+++ b/docs/topics/migrations.txt
@@ -491,11 +491,30 @@ Django can serialize the following:
 - Any class reference
 - Anything with a custom ``deconstruct()`` method (:ref:`see below <custom-deconstruct-method>`)
 
+Django can serialize the following on Python 3 only:
+
+- Unbound methods used from within the class body (see below)
+
 Django cannot serialize:
 
 - Arbitrary class instances (e.g. ``MyClass(4.3, 5.7)``)
 - Lambdas
 
+Due to the fact ``__qualname__`` was only introduced in Python 3, Django can only
+serialize the following pattern (an unbound method used within the class body)
+on Python 3, and will fail to serialize a reference to it on Python 2::
+
+    class MyModel(models.Model):
+
+        def upload_to(self):
+            return "something dynamic"
+
+        my_file = models.FileField(upload_to=upload_to)
+
+If you are using Python 2, we recommend you move your methods for upload_to
+and similar arguments that accept callables (e.g. ``default``) to live in
+the main module body, rather than the class body.
+
 .. _custom-deconstruct-method:
 
 Adding a deconstruct() method
diff --git a/tests/migrations/test_writer.py b/tests/migrations/test_writer.py
index 2628388656..925a9d6538 100644
--- a/tests/migrations/test_writer.py
+++ b/tests/migrations/test_writer.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import datetime
 import os
 import tokenize
+import unittest
 
 from django.core.validators import RegexValidator, EmailValidator
 from django.db import models, migrations
@@ -16,6 +17,12 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 from django.utils.timezone import get_default_timezone
 
 
+class TestModel1(object):
+    def upload_to(self):
+        return "somewhere dynamic"
+    thing = models.FileField(upload_to=upload_to)
+
+
 class WriterTests(TestCase):
     """
     Tests the migration writer (makes migration files from Migration instances)
@@ -137,6 +144,26 @@ class WriterTests(TestCase):
         self.assertSerializedEqual(one_item_tuple)
         self.assertSerializedEqual(many_items_tuple)
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(six.PY2, "Only applies on Python 2")
+    def test_serialize_direct_function_reference(self):
+        """
+        Ticket #22436: You cannot use a function straight from its body
+        (e.g. define the method and use it in the same body)
+        """
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            self.serialize_round_trip(TestModel1.thing)
+
+    def test_serialize_local_function_reference(self):
+        """
+        Neither py2 or py3 can serialize a reference in a local scope.
+        """
+        class TestModel2(object):
+            def upload_to(self):
+                return "somewhere dynamic"
+            thing = models.FileField(upload_to=upload_to)
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            self.serialize_round_trip(TestModel2.thing)
+
     def test_simple_migration(self):
         """
         Tests serializing a simple migration.