diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index 5e3a427c7..e53ea3495 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -118,14 +118,6 @@ class Config(object):
         except KeyError:
             return self.conftest.rget(name, path)
 
-    def getvalue_from_confpath(self, name, path):
-        """ same as previous, but returns only value from explicit
-        conftest path
-        """
-        if isinstance(path, str):
-            path = py.path.local(path)
-        return self.conftest.rget_path(name, path)
-
     def initsession(self):
         """ return an initialized session object. """
         cls = self._getsessionclass()
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py b/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
index 2a75cd377..447a3670b 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ class HostRSync(py.execnet.RSync):
             return False
         dir, base = os.path.split(path)
         try:
-            rsync_roots = self.config.getvalue_from_confpath("dist_rsyncroots",
-                                                             dir)
+            name = "dist_rsyncroots" 
+            rsync_roots = self.config.conftest.rget_path(name, dir)
         except AttributeError:
             rsync_roots = None
         if base == '.svn':