diff --git a/changelog/2722.trivial b/changelog/2722.trivial
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c0ccd7b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/2722.trivial
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Set ``xfail_strict=True`` in pytest's own test suite to catch expected failures as soon as they start to pass.
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index c6ce3e735..a989fe56f 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ python_files = test_*.py *_test.py testing/*/*.py
 python_classes = Test Acceptance
 python_functions = test
 norecursedirs = .tox ja .hg cx_freeze_source
+xfail_strict=true
 filterwarnings =
     error
     # produced by path.local