diff --git a/bin-for-dist/test_generate_standalone.py b/bin-for-dist/test_generate_standalone.py
index c19fc021a..9e5ac3feb 100644
--- a/bin-for-dist/test_generate_standalone.py
+++ b/bin-for-dist/test_generate_standalone.py
@@ -1,18 +1,39 @@
-import py, os
+import py, os, sys
 import generate_standalone_pytest
 import subprocess
 mydir = py.path.local(__file__).dirpath()
 
-def test_gen(testdir, anypython):
-    testdir.chdir() 
-    infile = mydir.join("py.test-in")
-    outfile = testdir.tmpdir.join("mypytest")
-    generate_standalone_pytest.main(pydir=os.path.dirname(py.__file__),
-        infile=infile, outfile=outfile)
-    result = testdir._run(anypython, outfile, '-h')
+def pytest_funcarg__standalone(request):
+    return request.cached_setup(scope="module", setup=lambda: Standalone(request))
+
+class Standalone:
+    def __init__(self, request):
+        self.testdir = request.getfuncargvalue("testdir")
+        infile = mydir.join("py.test-in")
+        self.script = self.testdir.tmpdir.join("mypytest")
+        generate_standalone_pytest.main(pydir=os.path.dirname(py.__file__),
+            infile=infile, outfile=self.script)
+
+    def run(self, anypython, testdir, *args):
+        testdir.chdir()
+        return testdir._run(anypython, self.script, *args)
+
+def test_gen(testdir, anypython, standalone):
+    result = standalone.run(anypython, testdir, '-h')
     assert result.ret == 0
-    result = testdir._run(anypython, outfile, '--version')
+    result = standalone.run(anypython, testdir, '--version')
     assert result.ret == 0
     result.stderr.fnmatch_lines([
         "*imported from*mypytest"
     ])
+
+def test_rundist(testdir, standalone):
+    testdir.makepyfile("""
+        def test_one():
+            pass
+    """)
+    result = standalone.run(sys.executable, testdir, '-n', '3')
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    result.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*1 passed*"
+    ])
diff --git a/py/impl/test/config.py b/py/impl/test/config.py
index a434d304b..7ad036bee 100644
--- a/py/impl/test/config.py
+++ b/py/impl/test/config.py
@@ -266,7 +266,10 @@ class Config(object):
             if not root.check():
                 raise config.Error("rsyncdir doesn't exist: %r" %(root,))
             if pydirs is not None and root.basename in ("py", "_py"):
-                pydirs.remove(root) # otherwise it's a conflict
+                try:
+                    pydirs.remove(root) # otherwise it's a conflict
+                except ValueError: # we run as standalone py.test 
+                    pass
         roots.extend(pydirs)
         return roots