diff --git a/_pytest/core.py b/_pytest/core.py
index d1fdf1dba..e7a441634 100644
--- a/_pytest/core.py
+++ b/_pytest/core.py
@@ -95,10 +95,11 @@ class PluginManager(object):
             raise ValueError("Plugin already registered: %s=%s\n%s" %(
                               name, plugin, self._name2plugin))
         #self.trace("registering", name, plugin)
-        self._name2plugin[name] = plugin
         reg = getattr(self, "_registercallback", None)
         if reg is not None:
-            reg(plugin, name)
+            reg(plugin, name)  # may call addhooks
+        self.hook._scan_plugin(plugin)
+        self._name2plugin[name] = plugin
         if conftest:
             self._conftestplugins.append(plugin)
         else:
@@ -403,41 +404,86 @@ class HookRelay:
     def _getcaller(self, name, plugins):
         caller = getattr(self, name)
         methods = self._pm.listattr(name, plugins=plugins)
-        return CachedHookCaller(caller, methods)
-
-
-class CachedHookCaller:
-    def __init__(self, hookmethod, methods):
-        self.hookmethod = hookmethod
-        self.methods = methods
-
-    def __call__(self, **kwargs):
-        return self.hookmethod._docall(self.methods, kwargs)
-
-    def callextra(self, methods, **kwargs):
-        # XXX in theory we should respect "tryfirst/trylast" if set
-        # on the added methods but we currently only use it for
-        # pytest_generate_tests and it doesn't make sense there i'd think
-        all = self.methods
         if methods:
-            all = all + methods
-        return self.hookmethod._docall(all, kwargs)
+            return caller.new_cached_caller(methods)
+        return caller
+
+    def _scan_plugin(self, plugin):
+        methods = collectattr(plugin)
+        hooks = {}
+        for hookspec in self._hookspecs:
+            hooks.update(collectattr(hookspec))
+
+        stringio = py.io.TextIO()
+        def Print(*args):
+            if args:
+                stringio.write(" ".join(map(str, args)))
+            stringio.write("\n")
+
+        fail = False
+        while methods:
+            name, method = methods.popitem()
+            #print "checking", name
+            if isgenerichook(name):
+                continue
+            if name not in hooks:
+                if not getattr(method, 'optionalhook', False):
+                    Print("found unknown hook:", name)
+                    fail = True
+            else:
+                #print "checking", method
+                method_args = list(varnames(method))
+                if '__multicall__' in method_args:
+                    method_args.remove('__multicall__')
+                hook = hooks[name]
+                hookargs = varnames(hook)
+                for arg in method_args:
+                    if arg not in hookargs:
+                        Print("argument %r not available"  %(arg, ))
+                        Print("actual definition: %s" %(formatdef(method)))
+                        Print("available hook arguments: %s" %
+                                ", ".join(hookargs))
+                        fail = True
+                        break
+                #if not fail:
+                #    print "matching hook:", formatdef(method)
+                getattr(self, name).clear_method_cache()
+
+            if fail:
+                name = getattr(plugin, '__name__', plugin)
+                raise PluginValidationError("%s:\n%s" % (name, stringio.getvalue()))
 
 
 class HookCaller:
-    def __init__(self, hookrelay, name, firstresult):
+    def __init__(self, hookrelay, name, firstresult, methods=None):
         self.hookrelay = hookrelay
         self.name = name
         self.firstresult = firstresult
         self.trace = self.hookrelay.trace
+        self.methods = methods
+
+    def new_cached_caller(self, methods):
+        return HookCaller(self.hookrelay, self.name, self.firstresult,
+                          methods=methods)
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return "<HookCaller %r>" %(self.name,)
 
+    def clear_method_cache(self):
+        self.methods = None
+
     def __call__(self, **kwargs):
-        methods = self.hookrelay._pm.listattr(self.name)
+        methods = self.methods
+        if self.methods is None:
+            self.methods = methods = self.hookrelay._pm.listattr(self.name)
+            methods = self.methods
         return self._docall(methods, kwargs)
 
+    def callextra(self, methods, **kwargs):
+        if self.methods is None:
+            self.reload_methods()
+        return self._docall(self.methods + methods, kwargs)
+
     def _docall(self, methods, kwargs):
         self.trace(self.name, kwargs)
         self.trace.root.indent += 1
@@ -450,3 +496,25 @@ class HookCaller:
             self.trace.root.indent -= 1
         return res
 
+
+
+class PluginValidationError(Exception):
+    """ plugin failed validation. """
+
+def isgenerichook(name):
+    return name == "pytest_plugins" or \
+           name.startswith("pytest_funcarg__")
+
+def collectattr(obj):
+    methods = {}
+    for apiname in dir(obj):
+        if apiname.startswith("pytest_"):
+            methods[apiname] = getattr(obj, apiname)
+    return methods
+
+def formatdef(func):
+    return "%s%s" % (
+        func.__name__,
+        inspect.formatargspec(*inspect.getargspec(func))
+    )
+
diff --git a/_pytest/helpconfig.py b/_pytest/helpconfig.py
index 79c331145..028b3e3f1 100644
--- a/_pytest/helpconfig.py
+++ b/_pytest/helpconfig.py
@@ -127,70 +127,3 @@ def pytest_report_header(config):
     return lines
 
 
-# =====================================================
-# validate plugin syntax and hooks
-# =====================================================
-
-def pytest_plugin_registered(manager, plugin):
-    methods = collectattr(plugin)
-    hooks = {}
-    for hookspec in manager.hook._hookspecs:
-        hooks.update(collectattr(hookspec))
-
-    stringio = py.io.TextIO()
-    def Print(*args):
-        if args:
-            stringio.write(" ".join(map(str, args)))
-        stringio.write("\n")
-
-    fail = False
-    while methods:
-        name, method = methods.popitem()
-        #print "checking", name
-        if isgenerichook(name):
-            continue
-        if name not in hooks:
-            if not getattr(method, 'optionalhook', False):
-                Print("found unknown hook:", name)
-                fail = True
-        else:
-            #print "checking", method
-            method_args = list(varnames(method))
-            if '__multicall__' in method_args:
-                method_args.remove('__multicall__')
-            hook = hooks[name]
-            hookargs = varnames(hook)
-            for arg in method_args:
-                if arg not in hookargs:
-                    Print("argument %r not available"  %(arg, ))
-                    Print("actual definition: %s" %(formatdef(method)))
-                    Print("available hook arguments: %s" %
-                            ", ".join(hookargs))
-                    fail = True
-                    break
-            #if not fail:
-            #    print "matching hook:", formatdef(method)
-        if fail:
-            name = getattr(plugin, '__name__', plugin)
-            raise PluginValidationError("%s:\n%s" % (name, stringio.getvalue()))
-
-class PluginValidationError(Exception):
-    """ plugin failed validation. """
-
-def isgenerichook(name):
-    return name == "pytest_plugins" or \
-           name.startswith("pytest_funcarg__")
-
-def collectattr(obj):
-    methods = {}
-    for apiname in dir(obj):
-        if apiname.startswith("pytest_"):
-            methods[apiname] = getattr(obj, apiname)
-    return methods
-
-def formatdef(func):
-    return "%s%s" % (
-        func.__name__,
-        inspect.formatargspec(*inspect.getargspec(func))
-    )
-
diff --git a/_pytest/main.py b/_pytest/main.py
index 5377764de..025573bdb 100644
--- a/_pytest/main.py
+++ b/_pytest/main.py
@@ -164,28 +164,6 @@ class FSHookProxy(object):
         self.__dict__[name] = x
         return x
 
-        hookmethod = getattr(self.config.hook, name)
-        methods = self.config.pluginmanager.listattr(name, plugins=plugins)
-        self.__dict__[name] = x = HookCaller(hookmethod, methods)
-        return x
-
-
-class HookCaller:
-    def __init__(self, hookmethod, methods):
-        self.hookmethod = hookmethod
-        self.methods = methods
-
-    def __call__(self, **kwargs):
-        return self.hookmethod._docall(self.methods, kwargs)
-
-    def callextra(self, methods, **kwargs):
-        # XXX in theory we should respect "tryfirst/trylast" if set
-        # on the added methods but we currently only use it for
-        # pytest_generate_tests and it doesn't make sense there i'd think
-        all = self.methods
-        if methods:
-            all = all + methods
-        return self.hookmethod._docall(all, kwargs)
 
 def compatproperty(name):
     def fget(self):
diff --git a/_pytest/pytester.py b/_pytest/pytester.py
index 9e987ae03..63e223af2 100644
--- a/_pytest/pytester.py
+++ b/_pytest/pytester.py
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ class PytestArg:
 
     def gethookrecorder(self, hook):
         hookrecorder = HookRecorder(hook._pm)
-        hookrecorder.start_recording(hook._hookspecs)
         self.request.addfinalizer(hookrecorder.finish_recording)
         return hookrecorder
 
@@ -69,9 +68,7 @@ class HookRecorder:
         self.calls = []
         self._recorders = {}
 
-    def start_recording(self, hookspecs):
-        if not isinstance(hookspecs, (list, tuple)):
-            hookspecs = [hookspecs]
+        hookspecs = self._pluginmanager.hook._hookspecs
         for hookspec in hookspecs:
             assert hookspec not in self._recorders
             class RecordCalls:
diff --git a/testing/test_helpconfig.py b/testing/test_helpconfig.py
index df78ccecc..7d4c7cab1 100644
--- a/testing/test_helpconfig.py
+++ b/testing/test_helpconfig.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import py, pytest
-from _pytest.helpconfig import collectattr
+from _pytest.core import collectattr
 
 def test_version(testdir, pytestconfig):
     result = testdir.runpytest("--version")
diff --git a/testing/test_pytester.py b/testing/test_pytester.py
index b3c6cf795..59a294674 100644
--- a/testing/test_pytester.py
+++ b/testing/test_pytester.py
@@ -71,28 +71,38 @@ def test_testdir_runs_with_plugin(testdir):
         "*1 passed*"
     ])
 
-def test_hookrecorder_basic():
-    rec = HookRecorder(PluginManager())
-    class ApiClass:
+
+def make_holder():
+    class apiclass:
         def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
             "x"
-    rec.start_recording(ApiClass)
+        def pytest_xyz_noarg(self):
+            "x"
+
+    apimod = type(os)('api')
+    def pytest_xyz(arg):
+        "x"
+    def pytest_xyz_noarg():
+        "x"
+    apimod.pytest_xyz = pytest_xyz
+    apimod.pytest_xyz_noarg = pytest_xyz_noarg
+    return apiclass, apimod
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("holder", make_holder())
+def test_hookrecorder_basic(holder):
+    pm = PluginManager()
+    pm.hook._addhooks(holder, "pytest_")
+    rec = HookRecorder(pm)
     rec.hook.pytest_xyz(arg=123)
     call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
     assert call.arg == 123
     assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
     pytest.raises(pytest.fail.Exception, "rec.popcall('abc')")
+    rec.hook.pytest_xyz_noarg()
+    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz_noarg")
+    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz_noarg"
 
-def test_hookrecorder_basic_no_args_hook():
-    rec = HookRecorder(PluginManager())
-    apimod = type(os)('api')
-    def pytest_xyz():
-        "x"
-    apimod.pytest_xyz = pytest_xyz
-    rec.start_recording(apimod)
-    rec.hook.pytest_xyz()
-    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
-    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
 
 def test_functional(testdir, linecomp):
     reprec = testdir.inline_runsource("""
@@ -102,8 +112,9 @@ def test_functional(testdir, linecomp):
         def test_func(_pytest):
             class ApiClass:
                 def pytest_xyz(self, arg):  "x"
-            hook = HookRelay([ApiClass], PluginManager())
-            rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(hook)
+            pm = PluginManager()
+            pm.hook._addhooks(ApiClass, "pytest_")
+            rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(pm.hook)
             class Plugin:
                 def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
                     return arg + 1