diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index efc65604b..35965f3bd 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@ class Config(object):
         self.args = args 
 
     def ensuretemp(self, string, dir=True):
-        if self.basetemp is None: 
+        return self.getbasetemp().ensure(string, dir=dir) 
+
+    def getbasetemp(self):
+        if self.basetemp is None:
             basetemp = self.option.basetemp 
             if basetemp:
                 basetemp = py.path.local(basetemp)
@@ -128,8 +131,16 @@ class Config(object):
                     basetemp.mkdir()
             else:
                 basetemp = py.path.local.make_numbered_dir(prefix='pytest-')
-            self.basetemp = basetemp 
-        return self.basetemp.ensure(string, dir=dir) 
+            self.basetemp = basetemp
+        return self.basetemp 
+
+    def mktemp(self, basename, numbered=False):
+        basetemp = self.getbasetemp()
+        if not numbered:
+            return basetemp.mkdir(basename)
+        else:
+            return py.path.local.make_numbered_dir(prefix=basename + "-", 
+                keep=0, rootdir=basetemp)
 
     def getcolitems(self):
         return [self.getfsnode(arg) for arg in self.args]
@@ -215,6 +226,7 @@ class Config(object):
         oldconfig = py.test.config
         try:
             config_per_process = py.test.config = Config()
+            config_per_process.basetemp = self.mktemp("reparse", numbered=True)
             config_per_process.parse(args) 
             return config_per_process
         finally: 
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_config.py b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
index ad3ea6207..584310a67 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
@@ -84,14 +84,34 @@ class TestConfigCmdlineParsing:
             opts = spec.split()
             yield check_conflict_option, opts
 
+class TestConfigTmpdir:
+    def test_getbasetemp(self, testdir):
+        config = testdir.Config()
+        config.basetemp = "hello"
+        config.getbasetemp() == "hello"
+
+    def test_mktemp(self, testdir):
+        config = testdir.Config()
+        config.basetemp = testdir.mkdir("hello")
+        tmp = config.mktemp("world")
+        assert tmp.relto(config.basetemp) == "world"
+        tmp = config.mktemp("this", numbered=True)
+        assert tmp.relto(config.basetemp).startswith("this")
+        tmp2 = config.mktemp("this", numbered=True)
+        assert tmp2.relto(config.basetemp).startswith("this")
+        assert tmp2 != tmp
+
+    def test_reparse(self, testdir):
+        config = testdir.Config()
+        config.basetemp = testdir.mkdir("my")
+        config2 = config._reparse([])
+        assert config2.getbasetemp().relto(config.basetemp)
+        config3 = config._reparse([])
+        assert config3.getbasetemp().relto(config.basetemp)
+        assert config2.basetemp != config3.basetemp
+
 class TestConfigAPI: 
 
-    @py.test.mark.issue("ensuretemp should call config.maketemp(basename)")
-    def test_ensuretemp(self):
-        d1 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
-        d2 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
-        assert d1 == d2
-        assert d1.check(dir=1) 
 
     def test_config_getvalue_honours_conftest(self, testdir):
         testdir.makepyfile(conftest="x=1")
@@ -313,4 +333,10 @@ def test_options_on_small_file_do_not_blow_up(testdir):
 
 def test_default_bus():
     assert py.test.config.bus is py._com.pyplugins
-    
+   
+@py.test.mark.todo("test for deprecation")
+def test_ensuretemp():
+    d1 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
+    d2 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
+    assert d1 == d2
+    assert d1.check(dir=1)