diff --git a/src/ServiceManager.php b/src/ServiceManager.php
index 1396892d..59f775e3 100644
--- a/src/ServiceManager.php
+++ b/src/ServiceManager.php
@@ -668,6 +668,12 @@ private function getFactory($name)
             if ($lazyLoaded) {
                 $this->factories[$name] = $factory;
             }
+            // PHP 5.6 fails on 'class::method' callables unless we explode them:
+            if (PHP_MAJOR_VERSION < 7
+                && is_string($factory) && strpos($factory, '::') !== false
+            ) {
+                $factory = explode('::', $factory);
+            }
             return $factory;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/ServiceManagerTest.php b/test/ServiceManagerTest.php
index 094951a6..8c559946 100644
--- a/test/ServiceManagerTest.php
+++ b/test/ServiceManagerTest.php
@@ -267,4 +267,20 @@ public function testSetAliasShouldWorkWithRecursiveAlias()
         $this->assertSame($service, $alias);
         $this->assertSame($service, $headAlias);
     }
+
+    public static function sampleFactory()
+    {
+        return new stdClass();
+    }
+
+    public function testFactoryMayBeStaticMethodDescribedByCallableString()
+    {
+        $config = [
+            'factories' => [
+                stdClass::class => 'ZendTest\ServiceManager\ServiceManagerTest::sampleFactory',
+            ]
+        ];
+        $serviceManager = new SimpleServiceManager($config);
+        $this->assertEquals(stdClass::class, get_class($serviceManager->get(stdClass::class)));
+    }
 }