diff --git a/scrapy/utils/reqser.py b/scrapy/utils/reqser.py
index 749bbc387..78e13ec10 100644
--- a/scrapy/utils/reqser.py
+++ b/scrapy/utils/reqser.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Helper functions for serializing (and deserializing) requests.
 """
+import inspect
+
 from scrapy.http import Request
 from scrapy.utils.python import to_unicode
 from scrapy.utils.misc import load_object
@@ -90,10 +92,12 @@ def _find_method(obj, func):
             pass
         else:
             if func_self is obj:
-                name = func.__func__.__name__
-                if _is_private_method(name):
-                    return _mangle_private_name(obj, func, name)
-                return name
+                members = inspect.getmembers(obj, predicate=inspect.ismethod)
+                for name, obj_func in members:
+                    if obj_func.__func__ is func.__func__:
+                        if _is_private_method(name):
+                            return _mangle_private_name(obj, func, name)
+                        return name
     raise ValueError("Function %s is not a method of: %s" % (func, obj))
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_utils_reqser.py b/tests/test_utils_reqser.py
index c7572f02c..cf84f8fbd 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils_reqser.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils_reqser.py
@@ -69,6 +69,26 @@ class RequestSerializationTest(unittest.TestCase):
                     errback=self.spider.handle_error)
         self._assert_serializes_ok(r, spider=self.spider)
 
+    def test_reference_callback_serialization(self):
+        r = Request("http://www.example.com",
+                    callback=self.spider.parse_item_reference,
+                    errback=self.spider.handle_error_reference)
+        self._assert_serializes_ok(r, spider=self.spider)
+        request_dict = request_to_dict(r, self.spider)
+        self.assertEqual(request_dict['callback'], 'parse_item_reference')
+        self.assertEqual(request_dict['errback'], 'handle_error_reference')
+
+    def test_private_reference_callback_serialization(self):
+        r = Request("http://www.example.com",
+                    callback=self.spider._TestSpider__parse_item_reference,
+                    errback=self.spider._TestSpider__handle_error_reference)
+        self._assert_serializes_ok(r, spider=self.spider)
+        request_dict = request_to_dict(r, self.spider)
+        self.assertEqual(request_dict['callback'],
+                         '_TestSpider__parse_item_reference')
+        self.assertEqual(request_dict['errback'],
+                         '_TestSpider__handle_error_reference')
+
     def test_private_callback_serialization(self):
         r = Request("http://www.example.com",
                     callback=self.spider._TestSpider__parse_item_private,
@@ -131,8 +151,28 @@ class TestSpiderMixin:
         pass
 
 
+def parse_item(response):
+    pass
+
+
+def handle_error(failure):
+    pass
+
+
+def private_parse_item(response):
+    pass
+
+
+def private_handle_error(failure):
+    pass
+
+
 class TestSpider(Spider, TestSpiderMixin):
     name = 'test'
+    parse_item_reference = parse_item
+    handle_error_reference = handle_error
+    __parse_item_reference = private_parse_item
+    __handle_error_reference = private_handle_error
 
     def parse_item(self, response):
         pass