diff --git a/jedi/api/helpers.py b/jedi/api/helpers.py
index 24b0db6a..07dcab8a 100644
--- a/jedi/api/helpers.py
+++ b/jedi/api/helpers.py
@@ -466,4 +466,6 @@ def validate_line_column(func):
 
 def split_search_string(name):
     type, _, dotted_names = name.rpartition(' ')
+    if type == 'def':
+        type = 'function'
     return type, dotted_names.split('.')
diff --git a/test/test_api/test_project.py b/test/test_api/test_project.py
index 0885c3e5..d9ea05fa 100644
--- a/test/test_api/test_project.py
+++ b/test/test_api/test_project.py
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ def test_load_save_project(tmpdir):
         ('sample_int', ['helpers.sample_int'], {}),
         ('sample_int', ['helpers.sample_int'], dict(all_scopes=True)),
         ('sample_int.real', ['builtins.int.real'], {}),
+
+        ('class sample_int.real', [], {}),
+        ('function sample_int.real', ['builtins.int.real'], {}),
+        ('def sample_int.real', ['builtins.int.real'], {}),
     ]
 )
 @pytest.mark.skipif(sys.version_info < (3, 6), reason="Ignore Python 2, because EOL")