diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 4454409f9..b80c5a66a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 Changes between 2.0.2 and 2.0.3.dev
 ----------------------------------------------
 
+- fix issue34: avoid collection failure with "test" prefixed classes
+  deriving from object.
+
 - don't require zlib (and other libs) for genscript plugin without
   --genscript actually being used.
 
diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index 61a3f63c9..5378dc095 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -70,11 +70,13 @@ def pytest_pycollect_makeitem(__multicall__, collector, name, obj):
     res = __multicall__.execute()
     if res is not None:
         return res
-    if collector._istestclasscandidate(name, obj):
+    if inspect.isclass(obj):
         #if hasattr(collector.obj, 'unittest'):
         #    return # we assume it's a mixin class for a TestCase derived one
-        Class = collector._getcustomclass("Class")
-        return Class(name, parent=collector)
+        if collector.classnamefilter(name):
+            if not hasinit(obj):
+                Class = collector._getcustomclass("Class")
+                return Class(name, parent=collector)
     elif collector.funcnamefilter(name) and hasattr(obj, '__call__'):
         if is_generator(obj):
             return Generator(name, parent=collector)
@@ -194,14 +196,6 @@ class PyCollectorMixin(PyobjMixin, pytest.Collector):
         return self.ihook.pytest_pycollect_makeitem(
             collector=self, name=name, obj=obj)
 
-    def _istestclasscandidate(self, name, obj):
-        if self.classnamefilter(name) and \
-           inspect.isclass(obj):
-            if hasinit(obj):
-                # XXX WARN
-                return False
-            return True
-
     def _genfunctions(self, name, funcobj):
         module = self.getparent(Module).obj
         clscol = self.getparent(Class)
diff --git a/pytest.py b/pytest.py
index 37dd2e0b9..90757b93c 100644
--- a/pytest.py
+++ b/pytest.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """
 unit and functional testing with Python.
 """
-__version__ = '2.0.3.dev1'
+__version__ = '2.0.3.dev2'
 __all__ = ['main']
 
 from _pytest.core import main, UsageError, _preloadplugins
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 562f23c9c..b17306fc5 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def main():
         name='pytest',
         description='py.test: simple powerful testing with Python',
         long_description = long_description,
-        version='2.0.3.dev1',
+        version='2.0.3.dev2',
         url='http://pytest.org',
         license='MIT license',
         platforms=['unix', 'linux', 'osx', 'cygwin', 'win32'],
diff --git a/testing/test_python.py b/testing/test_python.py
index 6c6273b22..5c5ced648 100644
--- a/testing/test_python.py
+++ b/testing/test_python.py
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ class TestClass:
         l = modcol.collect()
         assert len(l) == 0
 
+    def test_class_subclassobject(self, testdir):
+        testdir.getmodulecol("""
+            class test(object):
+                pass
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest()
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*collected 0*",
+        ])
+
 class TestGenerator:
     def test_generative_functions(self, testdir):
         modcol = testdir.getmodulecol("""