diff --git a/py/test/collect.py b/py/test/collect.py
index 1efd6baab..f04339ccc 100644
--- a/py/test/collect.py
+++ b/py/test/collect.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class Collector(object):
                 return True 
         return False
 
-    def tryiter(self, yieldtype=None, reporterror=None, keyword=None):
+    def _tryiter(self, yieldtype=None, reporterror=None, keyword=None):
         """ yield stop item instances from flattening the collector. 
             XXX deprecated: this way of iteration is not safe in all
             cases. 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ class Collector(object):
                     if reporterror is not None:
                         reporterror((None, self))
                     for x in self.run(): 
-                        for y in self.join(x).tryiter(yieldtype, 
+                        for y in self.join(x)._tryiter(yieldtype, 
                                             reporterror, keyword): 
                             yield y
                 except KeyboardInterrupt:
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class Collector(object):
     def _getsortvalue(self): 
         return self.name 
 
-    captured_out = captured_err = None
+    _captured_out = _captured_err = None
     def startcapture(self): 
         return None # by default collectors don't capture output
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ class Collector(object):
         return None # by default collectors don't capture output
 
     def _getouterr(self): 
-        return self.captured_out, self.captured_err
+        return self._captured_out, self._captured_err
 
     def _get_collector_trail(self):
         """ Shortcut
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ class Module(FSCollector, PyCollectorMixin):
         if hasattr(self, '_capture'): 
             capture = self._capture 
             del self._capture 
-            self.captured_out, self.captured_err = capture.reset()
+            self._captured_out, self._captured_err = capture.reset()
 
     def __repr__(self): 
         return "<%s %r>" % (self.__class__.__name__, self.name)
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ class Class(PyCollectorMixin, Collector):
         except IOError:
             pass
         # fall back...
-        for x in self.tryiter((py.test.collect.Generator, py.test.Item)):
+        for x in self._tryiter((py.test.collect.Generator, py.test.Item)):
             return x._getsortvalue()
 
 class Instance(PyCollectorMixin, Collector): 
diff --git a/py/test/item.py b/py/test/item.py
index eb68103ba..b192ae550 100644
--- a/py/test/item.py
+++ b/py/test/item.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class Item(py.test.collect.Collector):
         if hasattr(self, '_capture'): 
             capture = self._capture 
             del self._capture
-            self.captured_out, self.captured_err = capture.reset()
+            self._captured_out, self._captured_err = capture.reset()
             
 
 class Function(Item): 
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/master.py b/py/test/rsession/master.py
index 1ddae78b0..a1a31c29b 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/master.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/master.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class MasterNode(object):
 
 def itemgen(colitems, reporter, keyword, reporterror):
     for x in colitems:
-        for y in x.tryiter(reporterror = lambda x: reporterror(reporter, x), keyword = keyword):
+        for y in x._tryiter(reporterror = lambda x: reporterror(reporter, x), keyword = keyword):
             yield y
 
 def randomgen(items, done_dict):
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/reporter.py b/py/test/rsession/reporter.py
index d3b3cc3db..e9c44717d 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/reporter.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/reporter.py
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ class LocalReporter(AbstractReporter):
             # XXX This is a terrible hack, I don't like it
             #     and will rewrite it at some point
             #self.count = 0
-            lgt = len(list(item.tryiter()))
+            lgt = len(list(item._tryiter()))
             #self.lgt = lgt
             # print names relative to current workdir
             name = "/".join(item.listnames())
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/rest.py b/py/test/rsession/rest.py
index 514bf565f..ddcacdcf7 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/rest.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/rest.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class RestReporter(AbstractReporter):
     def report_ItemStart(self, event):
         item = event.item
         if isinstance(item, py.test.collect.Module):
-            lgt = len(list(item.tryiter()))
+            lgt = len(list(item._tryiter()))
             lns = item.listnames()[1:]
             name = "/".join(lns)
             link = self.get_linkwriter().get_link(self.get_rootpath(item),
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_reporter.py b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_reporter.py
index 8da388743..ca6fac911 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_reporter.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_reporter.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class AbstractTestReporter(object):
             rootcol = py.test.collect.Directory(tmpdir)
             hosts = [HostInfo('localhost')]
             r = self.reporter(config, hosts)
-            list(rootcol.tryiter(reporterror=lambda x : AbstractSession.reporterror(r.report, x)))
+            list(rootcol._tryiter(reporterror=lambda x : AbstractSession.reporterror(r.report, x)))
 
         cap = py.io.StdCaptureFD()
         boxfun()
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class AbstractTestReporter(object):
             r = self.reporter(config, [host])
             r.report(report.TestStarted([host]))
             r.report(report.RsyncFinished())
-            list(rootcol.tryiter(reporterror=lambda x : AbstractSession.reporterror(r.report, x)))
+            list(rootcol._tryiter(reporterror=lambda x : AbstractSession.reporterror(r.report, x)))
             r.report(report.TestFinished())
         
         cap = py.io.StdCaptureFD()
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rest.py b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rest.py
index 0c456b661..5c426b719 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rest.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rest.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Running tests on hosts\: localhost, foo.com
             def __init__(self, parent):
                 self.parent = parent
                 self.fspath = py.path.local('.')
-            def tryiter(self):
+            def _tryiter(self):
                 return ['test_foo', 'test_bar']
             def listnames(self):
                 return ['package', 'foo', 'bar.py']
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rsession.py b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rsession.py
index 2ac0edd0f..932c3c200 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rsession.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_rsession.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def test_example_tryiter():
             pass
     """))
     rootcol = py.test.collect.Directory(tmpdir)
-    data = list(rootcol.tryiter(reporterror=events.append))
+    data = list(rootcol._tryiter(reporterror=events.append))
     assert len(events) == 2
     assert str(events[1][0].value) == "Reason"
 
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/web.py b/py/test/rsession/web.py
index 95764fa7b..0cf3ee663 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/web.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/web.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def add_item(event):
          'itemname': itemname}
     #if itemtype == 'Module':
     try:
-        d['length'] = str(len(list(event.item.tryiter())))
+        d['length'] = str(len(list(event.item._tryiter())))
     except:
         d['length'] = "?"
     return d
diff --git a/py/test/terminal/terminal.py b/py/test/terminal/terminal.py
index 97f767aa2..647f7ea2d 100644
--- a/py/test/terminal/terminal.py
+++ b/py/test/terminal/terminal.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ class TerminalSession(Session):
             and not self.config.option.collectonly): 
             try: 
                 sum = 0
-                for sub in subitems: 
-                    sum += len(list(colitem.join(sub).tryiter()))
+                for sub in subitems:
+                    sum += len(list(colitem.join(sub)._tryiter()))
             except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt): 
                 raise 
             except: 
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_collect.py b/py/test/testing/test_collect.py
index ed19e190d..746fc1970 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_collect.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_collect.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def test_found_certain_testfiles():
     tmp.ensure('found_test.py')
 
     colitem = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp) 
-    items = list(colitem.tryiter(py.test.collect.Module))
+    items = list(colitem._tryiter(py.test.collect.Module))
     assert len(items) == 2
     items = [item.name for item in items]
     assert 'test_found.py' in items
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def test_ignored_certain_directories():
     tmp.ensure('test_found.py')
 
     colitem = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp) 
-    items = list(colitem.tryiter(py.test.collect.Module))
+    items = list(colitem._tryiter(py.test.collect.Module))
     assert len(items) == 2
     for item in items: 
         assert item.name == 'test_found.py' 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def test_custom_python_collection_from_conftest():
         config = py.test.config._reparse([x])
         #print "checking that %s returns custom items" % (x,) 
         col = config._getcollector(x)
-        assert len(list(col.tryiter(py.test.Item))) == 2 
+        assert len(list(col._tryiter(py.test.Item))) == 2 
         #assert items[1].__class__.__name__ == 'MyFunction'
 
     # test that running a session works from the directories
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ def test_custom_NONpython_collection_from_conftest():
         print "checking that %s returns custom items" % (x,) 
         config = py.test.config._reparse([x])
         col = config._getcollector(x)
-        assert len(list(col.tryiter(py.test.Item))) == 1
+        assert len(list(col._tryiter(py.test.Item))) == 1
         #assert items[1].__class__.__name__ == 'MyFunction'
 
     # test that running a session works from the directories
@@ -319,13 +319,13 @@ def test_documentation_virtual_collector_interaction():
     try:
         conf.option.forcegen = 1
         col = py.test.collect.Directory(rootdir)
-        x = list(col.tryiter(yieldtype=py.test.Function))
+        x = list(col._tryiter(yieldtype=py.test.Function))
     finally:
         conf.option.forcegen = old
     
 
-def test_tryiter_ignores_skips():
-    tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("tryiterskip")
+def test__tryiter_ignores_skips():
+    tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("_tryiterskip")
     tmp.ensure("subdir", "conftest.py").write(py.code.Source("""
         import py
         class Directory(py.test.collect.Directory):
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ def test_tryiter_ignores_skips():
     """))
     col = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp)
     try:
-        list(col.tryiter())
+        list(col._tryiter())
     except KeyboardInterrupt: 
         raise
     except:
@@ -342,14 +342,14 @@ def test_tryiter_ignores_skips():
         py.test.fail("should not have raised: %s"  %(exc,))
     
     
-def test_tryiter_ignores_failing_collectors(): 
-    tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("tryiterfailing")
+def test__tryiter_ignores_failing_collectors(): 
+    tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("_tryiterfailing")
     tmp.ensure("subdir", "conftest.py").write(py.code.Source("""
         bla bla bla
     """))
     col = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp)
     try:
-        list(col.tryiter())
+        list(col._tryiter())
     except KeyboardInterrupt: 
         raise
     except:
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ def test_tryiter_ignores_failing_collectors():
         py.test.fail("should not have raised: %s"  %(exc,))
 
     l = []
-    list(col.tryiter(reporterror=l.append))
+    list(col._tryiter(reporterror=l.append))
     assert len(l) == 2
     excinfo, item = l[-1]
     assert isinstance(excinfo, py.code.ExceptionInfo)
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ def test_tryiter_handles_keyboardinterrupt():
         raise KeyboardInterrupt() 
     """))
     col = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp)
-    py.test.raises(KeyboardInterrupt, list, col.tryiter())
+    py.test.raises(KeyboardInterrupt, list, col._tryiter())
 
 def test_check_random_inequality():
     tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("ineq")
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ def test_check_random_inequality():
         pass
     """))
     col = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp)
-    fn = col.tryiter().next()
+    fn = col._tryiter().next()
     assert fn != 3
     assert fn != col
     assert fn != [1,2,3]
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ def test_check_generator_collect_problems():
     tmp.ensure("__init__.py")
     col = py.test.collect.Module(tmp.join("test_one.py"))
     errors = []
-    l = list(col.tryiter(reporterror=errors.append))
+    l = list(col._tryiter(reporterror=errors.append))
     assert len(errors) == 2
 
 def test_check_collect_hashes():
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ def test_check_collect_hashes():
     """))
     tmp.ensure("__init__.py")
     col = py.test.collect.Directory(tmp)
-    l = list(col.tryiter())
+    l = list(col._tryiter())
     assert len(l) == 4
     for numi, i in enumerate(l):
         for numj, j in enumerate(l):
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_doctest.py b/py/test/testing/test_doctest.py
index bc75a3082..f61ce1ce1 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_doctest.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_doctest.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def test_collect_doctest_files_with_test_prefix():
         #print "checking that %s returns custom items" % (x,) 
         config = py.test.config._reparse([x])
         col = config._getcollector(x)
-        items = list(col.tryiter(py.test.Item))
+        items = list(col._tryiter(py.test.Item))
         assert len(items) == 1
         assert isinstance(items[0], DoctestText)