diff --git a/_pytest/mark.py b/_pytest/mark.py
index 23ec44c29..c34df1239 100644
--- a/_pytest/mark.py
+++ b/_pytest/mark.py
@@ -66,10 +66,8 @@ class MarkerError(Exception):
     """Error in use of a pytest marker/attribute."""
 
 
-def pytest_namespace():
-    return {
-        'param': ParameterSet.param,
-    }
+def param(*values, **kw):
+    return ParameterSet.param(*values, **kw)
 
 
 def pytest_addoption(parser):
diff --git a/pytest.py b/pytest.py
index d720ee866..4e4ccb32d 100644
--- a/pytest.py
+++ b/pytest.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from _pytest import __version__
 from _pytest.debugging import pytestPDB as __pytestPDB
 from _pytest.recwarn import warns, deprecated_call
 from _pytest.runner import fail, skip, importorskip, exit
-from _pytest.mark import MARK_GEN as mark
+from _pytest.mark import MARK_GEN as mark, param
 from _pytest.skipping import xfail
 from _pytest.main import Item, Collector, File, Session
 from _pytest.fixtures import fillfixtures as _fillfuncargs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'importorskip',
     'exit',
     'mark',
+    'param',
     'approx',
     '_fillfuncargs',