diff --git a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
index a555ed06..f53d0edb 100644
--- a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
+++ b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ def _str_returns(self, name='Returns'):
                 out += ['']
         return out
 
-    def _process_param(self, param, desc, autosum):
+    def _process_param(self, param, desc, fake_autosummary):
         """Determine how to display a parameter
 
-        Emulates autosummary behavior if autosum is not None.
+        Emulates autosummary behavior if fake_autosummary
 
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -91,12 +91,9 @@ def _process_param(self, param, desc, autosum):
         desc : list of str
             The parameter description as given in the docstring. This is
             ignored when autosummary logic applies.
-        autosum : list or None
-            If a list, autosummary-style behaviour will apply for params
+        fake_autosummary : bool
+            If True, autosummary-style behaviour will apply for params
             that are attributes of the class and have a docstring.
-            Names for autosummary generation will be appended to this list.
-
-            If None, autosummary is disabled.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -119,7 +116,7 @@ def _process_param(self, param, desc, autosum):
         param = param.strip()
         display_param = '**%s**' % param
 
-        if autosum is None:
+        if not fake_autosummary:
             return display_param, desc
 
         param_obj = getattr(self._obj, param, None)
@@ -141,7 +138,6 @@ def _process_param(self, param, desc, autosum):
             link_prefix = ''
 
         # Referenced object has a docstring
-        autosum.append("    %s%s" % (autosum_prefix, param))
         display_param = ':obj:`%s <%s%s>`' % (param,
                                               link_prefix,
                                               param)
@@ -181,15 +177,11 @@ def _str_param_list(self, name, fake_autosummary=False):
         """
         out = []
         if self[name]:
-            if fake_autosummary:
-                autosum = []
-            else:
-                autosum = None
-
             out += self._str_field_list(name)
             out += ['']
             for param, param_type, desc in self[name]:
-                display_param, desc = self._process_param(param, desc, autosum)
+                display_param, desc = self._process_param(param, desc,
+                                                          fake_autosummary)
 
                 if param_type:
                     out += self._str_indent(['%s : %s' % (display_param,
@@ -201,14 +193,6 @@ def _str_param_list(self, name, fake_autosummary=False):
                     out += self._str_indent(desc, 8)
                 out += ['']
 
-            if fake_autosummary and autosum:
-                if self.class_members_toctree:
-                    autosum.insert(0, '    :toctree:')
-                autosum.insert(0, '.. autosummary::')
-                out += ['..', '    HACK to make autogen generate docs:']
-                out += self._str_indent(autosum, 4)
-                out += ['']
-
         return out
 
     @property
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
index f9d15136..4bc5f69f 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
@@ -1104,16 +1104,6 @@ def no_period(self):
         :obj:`no_period <no_period>`
             This does not have a period
 
-    ..
-        HACK to make autogen generate docs:
-        .. autosummary::
-            :toctree:
-
-            an_attribute
-            multiline_sentence
-            midword_period
-            no_period
-
     .. rubric:: Methods
 
     =====  ==========