diff --git a/jedi/api/classes.py b/jedi/api/classes.py
index 4ce92be8..a91f95af 100644
--- a/jedi/api/classes.py
+++ b/jedi/api/classes.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ from jedi.evaluate import representation as er
 from jedi.evaluate import iterable
 from jedi.evaluate import imports
 from jedi.evaluate import compiled
-from jedi.evaluate.compiled import mixed
-from jedi.api import keywords
 from jedi.evaluate.finder import filter_definition_names
 
 
@@ -147,22 +145,10 @@ class BaseDefinition(object):
         'function'
 
         """
-        stripped = self._definition
-        if isinstance(stripped, er.InstanceElement):
-            stripped = stripped.var
-
-        if isinstance(stripped, (compiled.CompiledObject, mixed.MixedObject)):
-            return stripped.api_type()
-        elif isinstance(stripped, iterable.ArrayLiteralContext):
-            return 'instance'
-        elif isinstance(stripped, tree.Import):
-            return 'import'
-
-        string = type(stripped).__name__.lower().replace('wrapper', '')
-        if string == 'exprstmt':
-            return 'statement'
-        else:
-            return string
+        try:
+            return self._name.parent_context.api_type
+        except AttributeError:
+            return ''
 
     def _path(self):
         """The path to a module/class/function definition."""
@@ -576,8 +562,6 @@ class Definition(use_metaclass(CachedMetaClass, BaseDefinition)):
 
         """
         d = self._definition
-        if isinstance(d, er.InstanceElement):
-            d = d.var
 
         if isinstance(d, compiled.CompiledObject):
             typ = d.api_type()
diff --git a/jedi/evaluate/compiled/__init__.py b/jedi/evaluate/compiled/__init__.py
index e0d9273b..9320c4e1 100644
--- a/jedi/evaluate/compiled/__init__.py
+++ b/jedi/evaluate/compiled/__init__.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ class CompiledObject(Context):
 
         return _parse_function_doc(self.doc)
 
+    @property
     def api_type(self):
         obj = self.obj
         if inspect.isclass(obj):
diff --git a/jedi/evaluate/context.py b/jedi/evaluate/context.py
index 938ec2d5..bc30cd06 100644
--- a/jedi/evaluate/context.py
+++ b/jedi/evaluate/context.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from jedi.common import unite
 
 class Context(object):
     type = None # TODO remove
+    api_type = ''
 
     def __init__(self, evaluator, parent_context=None):
         self.evaluator = evaluator
diff --git a/jedi/evaluate/instance.py b/jedi/evaluate/instance.py
index 2584026c..e49988bc 100644
--- a/jedi/evaluate/instance.py
+++ b/jedi/evaluate/instance.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ class AbstractInstanceContext(Context):
     """
     This class is used to evaluate instances.
     """
+    api_type = 'instance'
+
     def __init__(self, evaluator, parent_context, class_context, var_args):
         super(AbstractInstanceContext, self).__init__(evaluator, parent_context)
         # Generated instances are classes that are just generated by self
@@ -237,8 +239,31 @@ class InstanceNameDefinition(filters.TreeNameDefinition):
             yield context
 
 
+class LazyInstanceName(filters.TreeNameDefinition):
+    """
+    This name calculates the parent_context lazily.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, instance, class_context, tree_name):
+        self._instance = instance
+        self._class_context = class_context
+        self.tree_name = tree_name
+
+    @property
+    def parent_context(self):
+        return self._instance.create_instance_context(self._class_context, self.tree_name)
+
+
+class LazyInstanceClassName(LazyInstanceName):
+    def infer(self):
+        for v in super(LazyInstanceClassName, self).infer():
+            if isinstance(v, er.FunctionContext):
+                yield BoundMethod(self._instance, self._class_context, v)
+            else:
+                yield v
+
+
 class InstanceClassFilter(filters.ParserTreeFilter):
-    name_class = InstanceNameDefinition
+    name_class = LazyInstanceClassName
 
     def __init__(self, evaluator, context, class_context, origin_scope):
         super(InstanceClassFilter, self).__init__(
@@ -269,10 +294,12 @@ class InstanceClassFilter(filters.ParserTreeFilter):
         return names
 
     def _convert_names(self, names):
-        return [LazyInstanceName(self._context, self._class_context, name) for name in names]
+        return [self.name_class(self._context, self._class_context, name) for name in names]
 
 
 class SelfNameFilter(InstanceClassFilter):
+    name_class = LazyInstanceName
+
     def _filter(self, names):
         names = self._filter_self_names(names)
         if isinstance(self._parser_scope, compiled.CompiledObject):
@@ -298,28 +325,6 @@ class SelfNameFilter(InstanceClassFilter):
                     yield name
 
 
-class LazyInstanceName(filters.TreeNameDefinition):
-    """
-    This name calculates the parent_context lazily.
-    """
-    def __init__(self, instance, class_context, tree_name):
-        self._instance = instance
-        self._class_context = class_context
-        self.tree_name = tree_name
-
-    @property
-    def parent_context(self):
-        return self._instance.create_instance_context(self._class_context, self.tree_name)
-
-    def infer(self):
-        values = super(LazyInstanceName, self).infer()
-        for v in values:
-            if isinstance(v, er.FunctionContext):
-                yield BoundMethod(self._instance, self._class_context, v)
-            else:
-                yield v
-
-
 class InstanceVarArgs(object):
     def __init__(self, instance, funcdef, var_args):
         self._instance = instance