diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
index 4c1eaf650c..17f5b3b7dd 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ macro(ocv_add_dependencies full_modname)
   list(FIND OPENCV_MODULE_${full_modname}_WRAPPERS "python" __python_idx)
   if (NOT __python_idx EQUAL -1)
     list(REMOVE_ITEM OPENCV_MODULE_${full_modname}_WRAPPERS "python")
-    list(APPEND OPENCV_MODULE_${full_modname}_WRAPPERS "python2" "python3")
+    list(APPEND OPENCV_MODULE_${full_modname}_WRAPPERS "python_bindings_generator" "python2" "python3")
   endif()
   unset(__python_idx)
 
diff --git a/doc/CMakeLists.txt b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d6e3950d1..aa049f9189 100644
--- a/doc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ endif(HAVE_DOC_GENERATOR)
 
 if(BUILD_DOCS AND DOXYGEN_FOUND)
   # not documented modules list
-  list(APPEND blacklist "ts" "java" "python2" "python3" "js" "world")
+  list(APPEND blacklist "ts" "java" "python_bindings_generator" "python2" "python3" "js" "world")
   unset(CMAKE_DOXYGEN_TUTORIAL_CONTRIB_ROOT)
   unset(CMAKE_DOXYGEN_TUTORIAL_JS_ROOT)
 
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ if(BUILD_DOCS AND DOXYGEN_FOUND)
         list(APPEND deps ${bib_file})
       endif()
       # Reference entry
-    #   set(one_ref "@ref ${m} | ${m}\n")
       set(one_ref "\t- ${m}. @ref ${m}\n")
       list(FIND EXTRA_MODULES ${m} _pos)
       if(${_pos} EQUAL -1)
@@ -205,15 +204,49 @@ if(BUILD_DOCS AND DOXYGEN_FOUND)
     list(APPEND js_tutorials_assets_deps "${f}" "${opencv_tutorial_html_dir}/${fname}")
   endforeach()
 
-  add_custom_target(doxygen
+  add_custom_target(
+    doxygen_cpp
     COMMAND ${DOXYGEN_EXECUTABLE} ${doxyfile}
     DEPENDS ${doxyfile} ${rootfile} ${bibfile} ${deps} ${js_tutorials_assets_deps}
+    COMMENT "Generate Doxygen documentation"
   )
+
   install(DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/doxygen/html
     DESTINATION "${OPENCV_DOC_INSTALL_PATH}"
     COMPONENT "docs" OPTIONAL
   )
 
+  if(NOT DEFINED HAVE_PYTHON_BS4 AND PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE)
+    # Documentation post-processing tool requires BuautifulSoup Python package
+    execute_process(COMMAND "${PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE}" -c "import bs4; from bs4 import BeautifulSoup; print(bs4.__version__)"
+                    RESULT_VARIABLE _result
+                    OUTPUT_VARIABLE _bs4_version
+                    OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+
+    if(NOT _result EQUAL 0)
+      set(HAVE_PYTHON_BS4 0 CACHE INTERNAL "")
+    else()
+      message(STATUS "Python BeautifulSoup (bs4) version: ${_bs4_version}")
+      set(HAVE_PYTHON_BS4 1 CACHE INTERNAL "")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+
+  if(PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE AND HAVE_PYTHON_BS4
+      AND OPENCV_PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE AND TARGET gen_opencv_python_source)
+    add_custom_target(doxygen_python
+      COMMAND ${PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/add_signatures.py" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/doxygen/html/" "${OPENCV_PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE}" "python"
+      DEPENDS doxygen_cpp gen_opencv_python_source
+      COMMENT "Inject Python signatures into documentation"
+    )
+    add_custom_target(doxygen
+      DEPENDS doxygen_cpp doxygen_python
+    )
+  else()
+    add_custom_target(doxygen
+      DEPENDS doxygen_cpp
+    )
+  endif()
+
   # Alias to build/install docs only
   add_custom_target(install_docs
       DEPENDS doxygen
diff --git a/doc/tools/add_signatures.py b/doc/tools/add_signatures.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..778dd33570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/tools/add_signatures.py
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+"""
+This code adds Python/Java signatures to the docs.
+
+TODO: Do the same thing for Java
+* using javadoc/ get all the methods/classes/constants to a json file
+
+TODO:
+* clarify when there are several C++ signatures corresponding to a single Python function.
+    i.e: calcHist():
+    http://docs.opencv.org/3.2.0/d6/dc7/group__imgproc__hist.html#ga4b2b5fd75503ff9e6844cc4dcdaed35d
+* clarify special case:
+    http://docs.opencv.org/3.2.0/db/de0/group__core__utils.html#ga4910d7f86336cd4eff9dd05575667e41
+"""
+from __future__ import print_function
+import sys
+sys.dont_write_bytecode = True  # Don't generate .pyc files / __pycache__ directories
+
+import os
+from pprint import pprint
+import re
+import logging
+import json
+
+import html_functions
+import doxygen_scan
+
+loglevel=os.environ.get("LOGLEVEL", None)
+if loglevel:
+    logging.basicConfig(level=loglevel)
+
+ROOT_DIR = sys.argv[1]
+PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE = sys.argv[2]
+JAVA_OR_PYTHON = sys.argv[3]
+
+ADD_JAVA = False
+ADD_PYTHON = False
+if JAVA_OR_PYTHON == "python":
+    ADD_PYTHON = True
+
+python_signatures = dict()
+with open(PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE, "rt") as f:
+    python_signatures = json.load(f)
+    print("Loaded Python signatures: %d" % len(python_signatures))
+
+import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
+root = ET.parse(ROOT_DIR + 'opencv.tag')
+files_dict = {}
+
+# constants and function from opencv.tag
+namespaces = root.findall("./compound[@kind='namespace']")
+#print("Found {} namespaces".format(len(namespaces)))
+for ns in namespaces:
+    ns_name = ns.find("./name").text
+    #print('NS: {}'.format(ns_name))
+    doxygen_scan.scan_namespace_constants(ns, ns_name, files_dict)
+    doxygen_scan.scan_namespace_functions(ns, ns_name, files_dict)
+
+# class methods from opencv.tag
+classes = root.findall("./compound[@kind='class']")
+#print("Found {} classes".format(len(classes)))
+for c in classes:
+    c_name = c.find("./name").text
+    file = c.find("./filename").text
+    #print('Class: {} => {}'.format(c_name, file))
+    doxygen_scan.scan_class_methods(c, c_name, files_dict)
+
+print('Doxygen files to scan: %s' % len(files_dict))
+
+files_processed = 0
+files_skipped = 0
+symbols_processed = 0
+
+for file in files_dict:
+    #if file != "dd/d9e/classcv_1_1VideoWriter.html":
+    #if file != "d4/d86/group__imgproc__filter.html":
+    #if file != "df/dfb/group__imgproc__object.html":
+    #    continue
+    #print('File: ' + file)
+
+    anchor_list = files_dict[file]
+    active_anchors = [a for a in anchor_list if a.cppname in python_signatures]
+    if len(active_anchors) == 0: # no linked Python symbols
+        #print('Skip: ' + file)
+        files_skipped = files_skipped + 1
+        continue
+
+    active_anchors_dict = {a.anchor: a for a in active_anchors}
+    if len(active_anchors_dict) != len(active_anchors):
+        logging.info('Duplicate entries detected: %s -> %s (%s)' % (len(active_anchors), len(active_anchors_dict), file))
+
+    files_processed = files_processed + 1
+
+    #pprint(active_anchors)
+    symbols_processed = symbols_processed + len(active_anchors_dict)
+
+    logging.info('File: %r' % file)
+    html_functions.insert_python_signatures(python_signatures, active_anchors_dict, ROOT_DIR + file)
+
+print('Done (processed files %d, symbols %d, skipped %d files)' % (files_processed, symbols_processed, files_skipped))
diff --git a/doc/tools/doxygen_scan.py b/doc/tools/doxygen_scan.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1ce60f618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/tools/doxygen_scan.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import traceback
+
+class Symbol(object):
+    def __init__(self, anchor, type, cppname):
+        self.anchor = anchor
+        self.type = type
+        self.cppname = cppname
+        #if anchor == 'ga586ebfb0a7fb604b35a23d85391329be':
+        #    print(repr(self))
+        #    traceback.print_stack()
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '%s:%s@%s' % (self.type, self.cppname, self.anchor)
+
+def add_to_file(files_dict, file, anchor):
+    anchors = files_dict.setdefault(file, [])
+    anchors.append(anchor)
+
+
+def scan_namespace_constants(ns, ns_name, files_dict):
+    constants = ns.findall("./member[@kind='enumvalue']")
+    for c in constants:
+        c_name = c.find("./name").text
+        name = ns_name + '::' + c_name
+        file = c.find("./anchorfile").text
+        anchor = c.find("./anchor").text
+        #print('    CONST: {} => {}#{}'.format(name, file, anchor))
+        add_to_file(files_dict, file, Symbol(anchor, "const", name))
+
+def scan_namespace_functions(ns, ns_name, files_dict):
+    functions = ns.findall("./member[@kind='function']")
+    for f in functions:
+        f_name = f.find("./name").text
+        name = ns_name + '::' + f_name
+        file = f.find("./anchorfile").text
+        anchor = f.find("./anchor").text
+        #print('    FN: {} => {}#{}'.format(name, file, anchor))
+        add_to_file(files_dict, file, Symbol(anchor, "fn", name))
+
+def scan_class_methods(c, c_name, files_dict):
+    methods = c.findall("./member[@kind='function']")
+    for m in methods:
+        m_name = m.find("./name").text
+        name = c_name + '::' + m_name
+        file = m.find("./anchorfile").text
+        anchor = m.find("./anchor").text
+        #print('    Method: {} => {}#{}'.format(name, file, anchor))
+        add_to_file(files_dict, file, Symbol(anchor, "method", name))
diff --git a/doc/tools/html_functions.py b/doc/tools/html_functions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3fd3bd8e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/tools/html_functions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
+import sys
+
+import logging
+import os
+from pprint import pprint
+import traceback
+
+try:
+    import bs4
+    from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
+except ImportError:
+    raise ImportError('Error: '
+                      'Install BeautifulSoup (bs4) for adding'
+                      ' Python & Java signatures documentation')
+
+def load_html_file(file_dir):
+    """ Uses BeautifulSoup to load an html """
+    with open(file_dir, 'rb') as fp:
+        soup = BeautifulSoup(fp, 'html.parser')
+    return soup
+
+def update_html(file, soup):
+    s = str(soup)
+    if os.name == 'nt' or sys.version_info[0] == 3: # if Windows
+        s = s.encode('utf-8', 'ignore')
+    with open(file, 'wb') as f:
+        f.write(s)
+
+
+def insert_python_signatures(python_signatures, symbols_dict, filepath):
+    soup = load_html_file(filepath)
+    entries = soup.find_all(lambda tag: tag.name == "a" and tag.has_attr('id'))
+    for e in entries:
+        anchor = e['id']
+        if anchor in symbols_dict:
+            s = symbols_dict[anchor]
+            logging.info('Process: %r' % s)
+            if s.type == 'fn' or s.type == 'method':
+                process_fn(soup, e, python_signatures[s.cppname], s)
+            elif s.type == 'const':
+                process_const(soup, e, python_signatures[s.cppname], s)
+            else:
+                logging.error('unsupported type: %s' % s);
+
+    update_html(filepath, soup)
+
+
+def process_fn(soup, anchor, python_signature, symbol):
+    try:
+        r = anchor.find_next_sibling(class_='memitem').find(class_='memproto').find('table')
+        insert_python_fn_signature(soup, r, python_signature, symbol)
+    except:
+        logging.error("Can't process: %s" % symbol)
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        pprint(anchor)
+
+
+def process_const(soup, anchor, python_signature, symbol):
+    try:
+        #pprint(anchor.parent)
+        description = append(soup.new_tag('div', **{'class' : ['python_language']}),
+            'Python: ' + python_signature[0]['name'])
+        old = anchor.find_next_sibling('div', class_='python_language')
+        if old is None:
+            anchor.parent.append(description)
+        else:
+            old.replace_with(description)
+        #pprint(anchor.parent)
+    except:
+        logging.error("Can't process: %s" % symbol)
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        pprint(anchor)
+
+
+def insert_python_fn_signature(soup, table, variants, symbol):
+    description = create_python_fn_description(soup, variants)
+    description['class'] = 'python_language'
+    soup = insert_or_replace(table, description, 'table', 'python_language')
+    return soup
+
+
+def create_python_fn_description(soup, variants):
+    language = 'Python:'
+    table = soup.new_tag('table')
+    heading_row = soup.new_tag('th')
+    table.append(
+        append(soup.new_tag('tr'),
+               append(soup.new_tag('th', colspan=999, style="text-align:left"), language)))
+    for v in variants:
+        #logging.debug(v)
+        add_signature_to_table(soup, table, v, language, type)
+    #print(table)
+    return table
+
+
+def add_signature_to_table(soup, table, signature, language, type):
+    """ Add a signature to an html table"""
+    row = soup.new_tag('tr')
+    row.append(soup.new_tag('td', style='width: 20px;'))
+
+    if 'ret' in signature:
+        row.append(append(soup.new_tag('td'), signature['ret']))
+        row.append(append(soup.new_tag('td'), '='))
+    else:
+        row.append(soup.new_tag('td')) # return values
+        row.append(soup.new_tag('td')) # '='
+
+    row.append(append(soup.new_tag('td'), signature['name'] + '('))
+    row.append(append(soup.new_tag('td', **{'class': 'paramname'}), signature['arg']))
+    row.append(append(soup.new_tag('td'), ')'))
+    table.append(row)
+
+
+def append(target, obj):
+    target.append(obj)
+    return target
+
+
+def insert_or_replace(element_before, new_element, tag, tag_class):
+    old = element_before.find_next_sibling(tag, class_=tag_class)
+    if old is None:
+        element_before.insert_after(new_element)
+    else:
+        old.replace_with(new_element)
diff --git a/modules/python/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/python/CMakeLists.txt
index d85a516791..dffe9a794e 100644
--- a/modules/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #  CMake file for python support
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+add_subdirectory(bindings)
+
 if(ANDROID OR APPLE_FRAMEWORK OR WINRT)
   set(__disable_python2 ON)
   set(__disable_python3 ON)
diff --git a/modules/python/bindings/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/python/bindings/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e407ea9a11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/python/bindings/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+set(MODULE_NAME "python_bindings_generator")
+ocv_add_module(${MODULE_NAME} INTERNAL)
+
+set(OPENCV_PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_signatures.json" CACHE INTERNAL "")
+set(OPENCV_PYTHON_BINDINGS_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" CACHE INTERNAL "")
+
+# This file is included from a subdirectory
+set(PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../")
+
+# get list of modules to wrap
+set(OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES)
+foreach(m ${OPENCV_MODULES_BUILD})
+  if (";${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_WRAPPERS};" MATCHES ";${MODULE_NAME};" AND HAVE_${m})
+    list(APPEND OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES ${m})
+    #message(STATUS "\t${m}")
+  endif()
+endforeach()
+
+set(opencv_hdrs "")
+set(opencv_userdef_hdrs "")
+foreach(m ${OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES})
+  list(APPEND opencv_hdrs ${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_HEADERS})
+  file(GLOB userdef_hdrs ${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_LOCATION}/misc/python/pyopencv*.hpp)
+  list(APPEND opencv_userdef_hdrs ${userdef_hdrs})
+endforeach(m)
+
+# header blacklist
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.h$")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/core/.*/cuda")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/cuda.*")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/cudev")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/core/.*/hal/")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.+/utils/.*")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.inl\\\\.h*")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*_inl\\\\.h*")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.details\\\\.h*")
+ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*/detection_based_tracker\\\\.hpp") # Conditional compilation
+
+set(cv2_generated_hdrs
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_include.h"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_funcs.h"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_types.h"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_type_reg.h"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_ns_reg.h"
+)
+
+set(cv2_generated_files ${cv2_generated_hdrs}
+    "${OPENCV_PYTHON_SIGNATURES_FILE}"
+)
+
+string(REPLACE ";" "\n" opencv_hdrs_ "${opencv_hdrs}")
+file(WRITE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt" "${opencv_hdrs_}")
+add_custom_command(
+    OUTPUT ${cv2_generated_files}
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE} "${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/gen2.py" ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt"
+    DEPENDS ${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/gen2.py
+    DEPENDS ${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/hdr_parser.py
+    DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt
+    DEPENDS ${opencv_hdrs}
+    COMMENT "Generate files for Python bindings and documentation"
+)
+
+add_custom_target(gen_opencv_python_source DEPENDS ${cv2_generated_files})
+
+set(cv2_custom_hdr "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_custom_headers.h")
+file(WRITE ${cv2_custom_hdr} "//user-defined headers\n")
+foreach(uh ${opencv_userdef_hdrs})
+    file(APPEND ${cv2_custom_hdr} "#include \"${uh}\"\n")
+endforeach(uh)
diff --git a/modules/python/common.cmake b/modules/python/common.cmake
index 9f87a043a3..fcccffe2ed 100644
--- a/modules/python/common.cmake
+++ b/modules/python/common.cmake
@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
 # This file is included from a subdirectory
 set(PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../")
 
+ocv_add_module(${MODULE_NAME} BINDINGS PRIVATE_REQUIRED opencv_python_bindings_generator)
+
+ocv_module_include_directories(
+    "${${PYTHON}_INCLUDE_PATH}"
+)
+include_directories(
+    ${${PYTHON}_NUMPY_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+    "${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2"
+    "${OPENCV_PYTHON_BINDINGS_DIR}"
+)
+
 # try to use dynamic symbols linking with libpython.so
 set(OPENCV_FORCE_PYTHON_LIBS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
 string(REPLACE "-Wl,--no-undefined" "" CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
@@ -8,80 +19,8 @@ if(NOT WIN32 AND NOT APPLE AND NOT OPENCV_PYTHON_SKIP_LINKER_EXCLUDE_LIBS)
   set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS} -Wl,--exclude-libs=ALL")
 endif()
 
-ocv_add_module(${MODULE_NAME} BINDINGS)
-
-ocv_module_include_directories(
-    "${${PYTHON}_INCLUDE_PATH}"
-    ${${PYTHON}_NUMPY_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-    "${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2"
-    )
-
-# get list of modules to wrap
-# message(STATUS "Wrapped in ${MODULE_NAME}:")
-set(OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES)
-foreach(m ${OPENCV_MODULES_BUILD})
-  if (";${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_WRAPPERS};" MATCHES ";${MODULE_NAME};" AND HAVE_${m})
-    list(APPEND OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES ${m})
-    # message(STATUS "\t${m}")
-  endif()
-endforeach()
-
-set(opencv_hdrs "")
-set(opencv_userdef_hdrs "")
-foreach(m ${OPENCV_PYTHON_MODULES})
-  list(APPEND opencv_hdrs ${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_HEADERS})
-  file(GLOB userdef_hdrs ${OPENCV_MODULE_${m}_LOCATION}/misc/python/pyopencv*.hpp)
-  list(APPEND opencv_userdef_hdrs ${userdef_hdrs})
-endforeach(m)
-
-# header blacklist
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.h$")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/core/.*/cuda")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/cuda.*")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/cudev")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/core/.*/hal/")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.+/utils/.*")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.inl\\\\.h*")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*_inl\\\\.h*")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*\\\\.details\\\\.h*")
-ocv_list_filterout(opencv_hdrs "modules/.*/detection_based_tracker\\\\.hpp") # Conditional compilation
-
-set(cv2_generated_hdrs
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_include.h"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_funcs.h"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_types.h"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_type_reg.h"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_generated_ns_reg.h"
-)
-
-set(OPENCV_${PYTHON}_SIGNATURES_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_signatures.json" CACHE INTERNAL "")
-
-set(cv2_generated_files ${cv2_generated_hdrs}
-    "${OPENCV_${PYTHON}_SIGNATURES_FILE}"
-)
-
-string(REPLACE ";" "\n" opencv_hdrs_ "${opencv_hdrs}")
-file(WRITE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt" "${opencv_hdrs_}")
-add_custom_command(
-    OUTPUT ${cv2_generated_files}
-    COMMAND ${PYTHON_DEFAULT_EXECUTABLE} "${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/gen2.py" ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt" "${PYTHON}"
-    DEPENDS ${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/gen2.py
-    DEPENDS ${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/hdr_parser.py
-    DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/headers.txt
-    DEPENDS ${opencv_hdrs}
-    COMMENT "Generate files for ${the_module}"
-)
-
-add_custom_target(gen_${the_module} DEPENDS ${cv2_generated_files})
-
-set(cv2_custom_hdr "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pyopencv_custom_headers.h")
-file(WRITE ${cv2_custom_hdr} "//user-defined headers\n")
-foreach(uh ${opencv_userdef_hdrs})
-    file(APPEND ${cv2_custom_hdr} "#include \"${uh}\"\n")
-endforeach(uh)
-
 ocv_add_library(${the_module} MODULE ${PYTHON_SOURCE_DIR}/src2/cv2.cpp ${cv2_generated_hdrs} ${opencv_userdef_hdrs} ${cv2_custom_hdr})
-add_dependencies(${the_module} gen_${the_module})
+add_dependencies(${the_module} gen_opencv_python_source)
 
 if(APPLE)
   set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS "-undefined dynamic_lookup")
@@ -92,7 +31,10 @@ elseif(WIN32 OR OPENCV_FORCE_PYTHON_LIBS)
     ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES})
   endif()
 endif()
-ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS})
+
+set(deps ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS})
+list(REMOVE_ITEM deps opencv_python_bindings_generator) # don't add dummy module to target_link_libraries list
+ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${deps})
 
 if(DEFINED ${PYTHON}_CVPY_SUFFIX)
   set(CVPY_SUFFIX "${${PYTHON}_CVPY_SUFFIX}")
diff --git a/modules/python/src2/cv2.cpp b/modules/python/src2/cv2.cpp
index 30c84f46b9..8f1eb3a214 100644
--- a/modules/python/src2/cv2.cpp
+++ b/modules/python/src2/cv2.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@
 #define NPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API NPY_1_7_API_VERSION
 #include <numpy/ndarrayobject.h>
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+#  define CV_PYTHON_TYPE_HEAD_INIT() PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+#else
+#  define CV_PYTHON_TYPE_HEAD_INIT() PyObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type) 0,
+#endif
+
 #include "pyopencv_generated_include.h"
 #include "opencv2/core/types_c.h"
 
diff --git a/modules/python/src2/gen2.py b/modules/python/src2/gen2.py
index 4f15715ccc..27928bc485 100755
--- a/modules/python/src2/gen2.py
+++ b/modules/python/src2/gen2.py
@@ -46,20 +46,7 @@ gen_template_func_body = Template("""$code_decl
     }
 """)
 
-py_major_version = sys.version_info[0]
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    if len(sys.argv) > 3:
-        if sys.argv[3] == 'PYTHON3':
-            py_major_version = 3
-        elif sys.argv[3] == 'PYTHON2':
-            py_major_version = 2
-        else:
-            raise Exception('Incorrect argument: expected PYTHON2 or PYTHON3, received: ' + sys.argv[3])
-if py_major_version >= 3:
-    head_init_str = "PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)"
-else:
-    head_init_str = """PyObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type)
-0,"""
+head_init_str = "CV_PYTHON_TYPE_HEAD_INIT()"
 
 gen_template_simple_type_decl = Template("""
 struct pyopencv_${name}_t