diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 2bc4ac41a..3b1d3f271 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 Changes between 2.3.3 and 2.3.4.dev
 -----------------------------------
 
+- fix issue224 - invocations with >256 char arguments now work
 - fix issue91 - add/discuss package/directory level setups in example
 - allow to dynamically define markers via
   item.keywords[...]=assignment integrating with "-m" option
diff --git a/_pytest/__init__.py b/_pytest/__init__.py
index 2c6317352..a61598a98 100644
--- a/_pytest/__init__.py
+++ b/_pytest/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #
-__version__ = '2.3.4.dev3'
+__version__ = '2.3.4.dev4'
diff --git a/_pytest/config.py b/_pytest/config.py
index 00848cc9d..f3c4034eb 100644
--- a/_pytest/config.py
+++ b/_pytest/config.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class Conftest(object):
             if hasattr(arg, 'startswith') and arg.startswith("--"):
                 continue
             anchor = current.join(arg, abs=1)
-            if anchor.check(): # we found some file object
+            if exists(anchor): # we found some file object
                 self._try_load_conftest(anchor)
                 foundanchor = True
         if not foundanchor:
@@ -479,6 +479,11 @@ class Config(object):
         except KeyError:
             py.test.skip("no %r value found" %(name,))
 
+def exists(path, ignore=EnvironmentError):
+    try:
+        return path.check()
+    except ignore:
+        return False
 
 def getcfg(args, inibasenames):
     args = [x for x in args if not str(x).startswith("-")]
@@ -489,7 +494,7 @@ def getcfg(args, inibasenames):
         for base in arg.parts(reverse=True):
             for inibasename in inibasenames:
                 p = base.join(inibasename)
-                if p.check():
+                if exists(p):
                     iniconfig = py.iniconfig.IniConfig(p)
                     if 'pytest' in iniconfig.sections:
                         return iniconfig['pytest']
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 041c4bda7..2970ed328 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def main():
         name='pytest',
         description='py.test: simple powerful testing with Python',
         long_description = long_description,
-        version='2.3.4.dev3',
+        version='2.3.4.dev4',
         url='http://pytest.org',
         license='MIT license',
         platforms=['unix', 'linux', 'osx', 'cygwin', 'win32'],
diff --git a/testing/test_config.py b/testing/test_config.py
index 05ac490bf..c1de49ed8 100644
--- a/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/testing/test_config.py
@@ -315,3 +315,7 @@ def test_cmdline_processargs_simple(testdir):
         "*-h*",
     ])
 
+
+def test_toolongargs_issue224(testdir):
+    result = testdir.runpytest("-m", "hello" * 500)
+    assert result.ret == 0