diff --git a/Lib/pdb.py b/Lib/pdb.py
index 081023526c0..d7d95715945 100755
--- a/Lib/pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/pdb.py
@@ -1312,14 +1312,6 @@ class Pdb(bdb.Bdb, cmd.Cmd):
             # _getval() already printed the error
             return
         code = None
-        # Is it a function?
-        try:
-            code = value.__code__
-        except Exception:
-            pass
-        if code:
-            self.message('Function %s' % code.co_name)
-            return
         # Is it an instance method?
         try:
             code = value.__func__.__code__
@@ -1328,6 +1320,14 @@ class Pdb(bdb.Bdb, cmd.Cmd):
         if code:
             self.message('Method %s' % code.co_name)
             return
+        # Is it a function?
+        try:
+            code = value.__code__
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        if code:
+            self.message('Function %s' % code.co_name)
+            return
         # Is it a class?
         if value.__class__ is type:
             self.message('Class %s.%s' % (value.__module__, value.__qualname__))
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pdb.py b/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
index 65bca291d96..8016f81e5ac 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
@@ -425,6 +425,47 @@ def test_list_commands():
     (Pdb) continue
     """
 
+def test_pdb_whatis_command():
+    """Test the whatis command
+
+    >>> myvar = (1,2)
+    >>> def myfunc():
+    ...     pass
+
+    >>> class MyClass:
+    ...    def mymethod(self):
+    ...        pass
+
+    >>> def test_function():
+    ...   import pdb; pdb.Pdb(nosigint=True, readrc=False).set_trace()
+
+    >>> with PdbTestInput([  # doctest: +ELLIPSIS, +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
+    ...    'whatis myvar',
+    ...    'whatis myfunc',
+    ...    'whatis MyClass',
+    ...    'whatis MyClass()',
+    ...    'whatis MyClass.mymethod',
+    ...    'whatis MyClass().mymethod',
+    ...    'continue',
+    ... ]):
+    ...    test_function()
+    --Return--
+    > <doctest test.test_pdb.test_pdb_whatis_command[3]>(2)test_function()->None
+    -> import pdb; pdb.Pdb(nosigint=True, readrc=False).set_trace()
+    (Pdb) whatis myvar
+    <class 'tuple'>
+    (Pdb) whatis myfunc
+    Function myfunc
+    (Pdb) whatis MyClass
+    Class test.test_pdb.MyClass
+    (Pdb) whatis MyClass()
+    <class 'test.test_pdb.MyClass'>
+    (Pdb) whatis MyClass.mymethod
+    Function mymethod
+    (Pdb) whatis MyClass().mymethod
+    Method mymethod
+    (Pdb) continue
+    """
 
 def test_post_mortem():
     """Test post mortem traceback debugging.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-21-15-51-15.bpo-41609.JmiUKG.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-21-15-51-15.bpo-41609.JmiUKG.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ecaf40eee7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-21-15-51-15.bpo-41609.JmiUKG.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The pdb whatis command correctly reports instance methods as 'Method' rather than 'Function'.
\ No newline at end of file