diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index a43fd69a3..17477d59c 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ Jaap Broekhuizen
 Jan Balster
 Janne Vanhala
 Jason R. Coombs
+Joshua Bronson
 Jurko Gospodnetić
 Katarzyna Jachim
 Kevin Cox
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 6d9ab3ec8..cec4138ee 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ New Features
 * New `pytest.mark.skip` mark, which unconditional skips marked tests.
   Thanks Michael Aquilina for the complete PR.
 
+* ``--doctest-glob`` may now be passed multiple times in the command-line.
+  Thanks Joshua Bronson and Bruno Oliveira for the PR.
+
 * New `-rp` and `-rP` reporting options give the summary and full output
   of passing tests, respectively. Thanks to David Vierra for the PR.
 
diff --git a/_pytest/doctest.py b/_pytest/doctest.py
index ed1814358..2175d8de1 100644
--- a/_pytest/doctest.py
+++ b/_pytest/doctest.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         help="run doctests in all .py modules",
         dest="doctestmodules")
     group.addoption("--doctest-glob",
-        action="append", default=["test*.txt"], metavar="pat",
+        action="append", default=[], metavar="pat",
         help="doctests file matching pattern, default: test*.txt",
         dest="doctestglob")
     group.addoption("--doctest-ignore-import-errors",
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def pytest_collect_file(path, parent):
 def _is_doctest(config, path, parent):
     if path.ext in ('.txt', '.rst') and parent.session.isinitpath(path):
         return True
-    globs = config.getoption("doctestglob")
+    globs = config.getoption("doctestglob") or ['test*.txt']
     for glob in globs:
         if path.check(fnmatch=glob):
             return True
diff --git a/doc/en/doctest.rst b/doc/en/doctest.rst
index 0befa6702..1dfb73485 100644
--- a/doc/en/doctest.rst
+++ b/doc/en/doctest.rst
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ can change the pattern by issuing::
 
     py.test --doctest-glob='*.rst'
 
-on the command line.  You can also trigger running of doctests
+on the command line. Since version ``2.9``, ``--doctest-glob``
+can be given multiple times in the command-line.
+
+You can also trigger running of doctests
 from docstrings in all python modules (including regular
 python test modules)::
 
diff --git a/testing/test_doctest.py b/testing/test_doctest.py
index 88d90a7bf..39e51f8ee 100644
--- a/testing/test_doctest.py
+++ b/testing/test_doctest.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class TestDoctests:
         reprec.assertoutcome(failed=1)
 
     def test_new_pattern(self, testdir):
-        p = testdir.maketxtfile(xdoc ="""
+        p = testdir.maketxtfile(xdoc="""
             >>> x = 1
             >>> x == 1
             False
@@ -95,6 +95,36 @@ class TestDoctests:
         reprec = testdir.inline_run(p, "--doctest-glob=x*.txt")
         reprec.assertoutcome(failed=1)
 
+    def test_multiple_patterns(self, testdir):
+        """Test support for multiple --doctest-glob arguments (#1255).
+        """
+        testdir.maketxtfile(xdoc="""
+            >>> 1
+            1
+        """)
+        testdir.makefile('.foo', test="""
+            >>> 1
+            1
+        """)
+        testdir.maketxtfile(test_normal="""
+            >>> 1
+            1
+        """)
+        expected = set(['xdoc.txt', 'test.foo', 'test_normal.txt'])
+        assert set(x.basename for x in testdir.tmpdir.listdir()) == expected
+        args = ["--doctest-glob=xdoc*.txt", "--doctest-glob=*.foo"]
+        result = testdir.runpytest(*args)
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            '*test.foo *',
+            '*xdoc.txt *',
+            '*2 passed*',
+        ])
+        result = testdir.runpytest()
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            '*test_normal.txt *',
+            '*1 passed*',
+        ])
+
     def test_doctest_unexpected_exception(self, testdir):
         testdir.maketxtfile("""
             >>> i = 0
@@ -579,4 +609,4 @@ class TestDoctestAutoUseFixtures:
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest('--doctest-modules')
         assert 'FAILURES' not in str(result.stdout.str())
-        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(['*=== 1 passed in *'])
\ No newline at end of file
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(['*=== 1 passed in *'])