diff --git a/py/impl/test/conftesthandle.py b/py/impl/test/conftesthandle.py
index f6139db67..1c01e310d 100644
--- a/py/impl/test/conftesthandle.py
+++ b/py/impl/test/conftesthandle.py
@@ -1,19 +1,17 @@
 import py
-defaultconftestpath = py.path.local(__file__).dirpath("defaultconftest.py")
+from py.impl.test import defaultconftest 
 
 class Conftest(object):
     """ the single place for accessing values and interacting 
         towards conftest modules from py.test objects. 
 
+        (deprecated)
         Note that triggering Conftest instances to import 
         conftest.py files may result in added cmdline options. 
-        XXX
     """ 
-    def __init__(self, path=None, onimport=None):
+    def __init__(self, onimport=None):
         self._path2confmods = {}
         self._onimport = onimport
-        if path is not None:
-            self.setinitial([path])
 
     def setinitial(self, args):
         """ try to find a first anchor path for looking up global values
@@ -42,17 +40,13 @@ class Conftest(object):
                 raise ValueError("missing default conftest.")
             dp = path.dirpath()
             if dp == path:
-                if not defaultconftestpath.check(): # zip file, single-file py.test?
-                    import defaultconftest
-                    if self._onimport:
-                        self._onimport(defaultconftest)
-                    return [defaultconftest]
-                return [self.importconftest(defaultconftestpath)]
-            clist = self.getconftestmodules(dp)
-            conftestpath = path.join("conftest.py")
-            if conftestpath.check(file=1):
-                clist.append(self.importconftest(conftestpath))
-            self._path2confmods[path] = clist
+                clist = [self._postimport(defaultconftest)]
+            else:
+                clist = self.getconftestmodules(dp)
+                conftestpath = path.join("conftest.py")
+                if conftestpath.check(file=1):
+                    clist.append(self.importconftest(conftestpath))
+                self._path2confmods[path] = clist
         # be defensive: avoid changes from caller side to
         # affect us by always returning a copy of the actual list 
         return clist[:]
@@ -82,6 +76,9 @@ class Conftest(object):
             mod = conftestpath.pyimport(modname=modname)
         else:
             mod = conftestpath.pyimport()
+        return self._postimport(mod)
+
+    def _postimport(self, mod):
         if self._onimport:
             self._onimport(mod)
         return mod
diff --git a/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py b/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
index bd476bca3..1d1038510 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ def pytest_funcarg__basedir(request):
         return d 
     return request.cached_setup(lambda: basedirmaker(request), extrakey=request.param)
 
+def ConftestWithSetinitial(path):
+    conftest = Conftest()
+    conftest.setinitial([path])
+    return conftest
+
 class TestConftestValueAccessGlobal:
     def test_basic_init(self, basedir):
         conftest = Conftest()
@@ -45,22 +50,22 @@ class TestConftestValueAccessGlobal:
 
     def test_default_Module_setting_is_visible_always(self, basedir):
         for path in basedir.parts():
-            conftest = Conftest(path) 
+            conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(path) 
             #assert conftest.lget("Module") == py.test.collect.Module
             assert conftest.rget("Module") == py.test.collect.Module
 
     def test_default_has_lower_prio(self, basedir):
-        conftest = Conftest(basedir.join("adir"))
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(basedir.join("adir"))
         assert conftest.rget('Directory') == 3
         #assert conftest.lget('Directory') == py.test.collect.Directory 
         
     def test_value_access_not_existing(self, basedir):
-        conftest = Conftest(basedir)
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(basedir)
         py.test.raises(KeyError, "conftest.rget('a')")
         #py.test.raises(KeyError, "conftest.lget('a')")
 
     def test_value_access_by_path(self, basedir):
-        conftest = Conftest(basedir)
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(basedir)
         assert conftest.rget("a", basedir.join('adir')) == 1
         #assert conftest.lget("a", basedir.join('adir')) == 1
         assert conftest.rget("a", basedir.join('adir', 'b')) == 1.5 
@@ -71,12 +76,12 @@ class TestConftestValueAccessGlobal:
         #)
 
     def test_value_access_with_init_one_conftest(self, basedir):
-        conftest = Conftest(basedir.join('adir'))
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(basedir.join('adir'))
         assert conftest.rget("a") == 1
         #assert conftest.lget("a") == 1
 
     def test_value_access_with_init_two_conftests(self, basedir):
-        conftest = Conftest(basedir.join("adir", "b"))
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(basedir.join("adir", "b"))
         conftest.rget("a") == 1.5
         #conftest.lget("a") == 1
         #conftest.lget("b") == 1
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ class TestConftestValueAccessGlobal:
     def test_value_access_with_confmod(self, basedir):
         topdir = basedir.join("adir", "b")
         topdir.ensure("xx", dir=True)
-        conftest = Conftest(topdir)
+        conftest = ConftestWithSetinitial(topdir)
         mod, value = conftest.rget_with_confmod("a", topdir)
         assert  value == 1.5
         path = py.path.local(mod.__file__)