diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index c70570ae..4fa0323d 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ matrix:
   - env: SPHINX="==1.4.9 docutils<0.13.1"
   - env: SPHINX="==1.5.0 docutils<0.13.1"
   - env: SPHINX="==1.5.1"
-  - env: SPHINX="==1.5.3"
   - env: SPHINX="==1.5.6"
-  - env: SPHINX="==1.6.6"
+  - env: SPHINX="==1.6.7"
+  - env: SPHINX="==1.7.5"
 
   # a few Python versions using latest Sphinx release
   - python: "3.4"
diff --git a/src/nbsphinx.py b/src/nbsphinx.py
index 43fd88a2..1a3fbffd 100644
--- a/src/nbsphinx.py
+++ b/src/nbsphinx.py
@@ -1068,7 +1068,11 @@ def apply(self):
                     else:
                         target_ext = ''
                         reftype = 'doc'
-                        refdomain = None
+                        if hasattr(sphinx.util, 'status_iterator'):
+                            # Sphinx >= 1.6
+                            refdomain = 'std'
+                        else:
+                            refdomain = None
                     break
             else:
                 continue  # Not a link to a potential Sphinx source file