diff --git a/src/antsibull/jinja2/filters.py b/src/antsibull/jinja2/filters.py
index c68ee3f11..01814e1b6 100644
--- a/src/antsibull/jinja2/filters.py
+++ b/src/antsibull/jinja2/filters.py
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
 
 
 def _option_name_html(matcher):
-    parts = matcher.group(1).split('=', 1)
-    if len(parts) == 1:
-        return f'<em>{parts[0]}</em>'
-    return f"<em>{parts[0]}</em>=<code class='docutils literal notranslate'>{parts[1]}</code>"
+    text = matcher.group(1)
+    if '=' not in text and ':' not in text:
+        return f'<code class="ansible-option literal notranslate"><strong>{text}</strong></code>'
+    return f'<code class="ansible-option-value literal notranslate">{text}</code>'
 
 
 def html_ify(text):
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ def html_ify(text):
         r"<code class='docutils literal notranslate'>\1</code>", text)
     text, _counts['option-name'] = _SEM_OPTION_NAME.subn(_option_name_html, text)
     text, _counts['option-value'] = _SEM_OPTION_VALUE.subn(
-        r"<code class='docutils literal notranslate'>\1</code>", text)
+        r"<code class='ansible-value literal notranslate'>\1</code>", text)
     text, _counts['environment-var'] = _SEM_ENV_VARIABLE.subn(
-        r"<code class='docutils literal notranslate'>\1</code>", text)
+        r"<code class='xref std std-envvar literal notranslate'>\1</code>", text)
     text, _counts['ruler'] = _RULER.subn(r"<hr/>", text)
 
     text = text.strip()
@@ -98,15 +98,6 @@ def do_max(seq):
 # https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/ref/rst/restructuredtext.html#character-level-inline-markup-1
 # for further information.
 
-def _option_name_rst(matcher):
-    parts = matcher.group(1).split('=', 1)
-    start = f"\\ :strong:`{rst_escape(parts[0], escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
-    if len(parts) == 1:
-        return start
-    end = f"\\ :literal:`{rst_escape(parts[1], escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
-    return f'{start}={end}'
-
-
 def _rst_ify_italic(m: 're.Match') -> str:
     return f"\\ :emphasis:`{rst_escape(m.group(1), escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
 
@@ -143,6 +134,18 @@ def _rst_ify_const(m: 're.Match') -> str:
     return f"\\ :literal:`{rst_escape(m.group(1), escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
 
 
+def _rst_ify_option_name(m):
+    return f"\\ :ansopt:`{rst_escape(m.group(1), escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
+
+
+def _rst_ify_value(m):
+    return f"\\ :ansval:`{rst_escape(m.group(1), escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
+
+
+def _rst_ify_envvar(m):
+    return f"\\ :envvar:`{rst_escape(m.group(1), escape_ending_whitespace=True)}`\\ "
+
+
 def rst_ify(text):
     ''' convert symbols like I(this is in italics) to valid restructured text '''
 
@@ -157,9 +160,9 @@ def rst_ify(text):
     text, _counts['url'] = _URL.subn(_rst_ify_url, text)
     text, _counts['ref'] = _REF.subn(_rst_ify_ref, text)
     text, _counts['const'] = _CONST.subn(_rst_ify_const, text)
-    text, _counts['option-name'] = _SEM_OPTION_NAME.subn(_option_name_rst, text)
-    text, _counts['option-value'] = _SEM_OPTION_VALUE.subn(_rst_ify_const, text)
-    text, _counts['environment-var'] = _SEM_ENV_VARIABLE.subn(_rst_ify_const, text)
+    text, _counts['option-name'] = _SEM_OPTION_NAME.subn(_rst_ify_option_name, text)
+    text, _counts['option-value'] = _SEM_OPTION_VALUE.subn(_rst_ify_value, text)
+    text, _counts['environment-var'] = _SEM_ENV_VARIABLE.subn(_rst_ify_envvar, text)
     text, _counts['ruler'] = _RULER.subn('\n\n.. raw:: html\n\n  <hr>\n\n', text)
 
     flog.fields(counts=_counts).info('Number of macros converted to rst equivalents')
diff --git a/src/antsibull/lint_extra_docs.py b/src/antsibull/lint_extra_docs.py
index 94dbce6e4..9f80b2f48 100644
--- a/src/antsibull/lint_extra_docs.py
+++ b/src/antsibull/lint_extra_docs.py
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 import docutils.utils
 import rstcheck
 
+from docutils.parsers.rst import roles as docutils_roles
+
+from sphinx_antsibull_ext import roles as antsibull_roles
+
 from .extra_docs import (
     find_extra_docs,
     lint_required_conditions,
@@ -49,6 +53,12 @@ def lint_optional_conditions(content: str, path: str, collection_name: str
     return [(result[0], 0, result[1]) for result in results]
 
 
+def _setup_rstcheck():
+    '''Make sure that rstcheck knows about our roles.'''
+    for name, role in antsibull_roles.ROLES.items():
+        docutils_roles.register_local_role(name, role)
+
+
 def lint_collection_extra_docs_files(path_to_collection: str
                                      ) -> t.List[t.Tuple[str, int, int, str]]:
     try:
@@ -59,6 +69,7 @@ def lint_collection_extra_docs_files(path_to_collection: str
     result = []
     all_labels = set()
     docs = find_extra_docs(path_to_collection)
+    _setup_rstcheck()
     for doc in docs:
         try:
             # Load content
diff --git a/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/__init__.py b/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/__init__.py
index 60f75c641..422acc370 100644
--- a/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/__init__.py
+++ b/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 
 from .assets import setup_assets
+from .roles import setup_roles
 
 
 def setup(app):
@@ -24,6 +25,9 @@ def setup(app):
     # Add assets
     setup_assets(app)
 
+    # Add roles
+    setup_roles(app)
+
     return dict(
         parallel_read_safe=True,
         parallel_write_safe=True,
diff --git a/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/roles.py b/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/roles.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0454ebe64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sphinx_antsibull_ext/roles.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+# Author: Felix Fontein <felix@fontein.de>
+# License: GPLv3+
+# Copyright: Ansible Project, 2021
+'''
+Add roles for semantic markup.
+'''
+
+from docutils import nodes
+
+
+def option_role(name, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options={}, content=[]):
+    """Format Ansible option key, or option key-value.
+
+    Returns 2 part tuple containing list of nodes to insert into the
+    document and a list of system messages.  Both are allowed to be
+    empty.
+
+    :param name: The role name used in the document.
+    :param rawtext: The entire markup snippet, with role.
+    :param text: The text marked with the role.
+    :param lineno: The line number where rawtext appears in the input.
+    :param inliner: The inliner instance that called us.
+    :param options: Directive options for customization.
+    :param content: The directive content for customization.
+    """
+    children = []
+    classes = []
+    if '=' not in text and ':' not in text:
+        children.append(nodes.strong(rawtext, text))
+        rawtext = ''
+        text = ''
+        classes.append('ansible-option')
+    else:
+        classes.append('ansible-option-value')
+    return [nodes.literal(rawtext, text, *children, classes=classes)], []
+
+
+def value_role(name, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options={}, content=[]):
+    """Format Ansible option value.
+
+    Returns 2 part tuple containing list of nodes to insert into the
+    document and a list of system messages.  Both are allowed to be
+    empty.
+
+    :param name: The role name used in the document.
+    :param rawtext: The entire markup snippet, with role.
+    :param text: The text marked with the role.
+    :param lineno: The line number where rawtext appears in the input.
+    :param inliner: The inliner instance that called us.
+    :param options: Directive options for customization.
+    :param content: The directive content for customization.
+    """
+    return [nodes.literal(rawtext, text, classes=['ansible-value'])], []
+
+
+ROLES = {
+    'ansopt': option_role,
+    'ansval': value_role,
+}
+
+
+def setup_roles(app):
+    '''
+    Setup roles for a Sphinx app object.
+    '''
+    for name, role in ROLES.items():
+        app.add_role(name, role)