diff --git a/_pytest/mark.py b/_pytest/mark.py
index 03b058d95..a5c972e5d 100644
--- a/_pytest/mark.py
+++ b/_pytest/mark.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 from operator import attrgetter
 from six.moves import map
 from .deprecated import MARK_PARAMETERSET_UNPACKING
+from .compat import NOTSET, getfslineno
 
 
 def alias(name, warning=None):
@@ -67,6 +68,30 @@ class ParameterSet(namedtuple('ParameterSet', 'values, marks, id')):
 
         return cls(argval, marks=newmarks, id=None)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _for_parameterize(cls, argnames, argvalues, function):
+        if not isinstance(argnames, (tuple, list)):
+            argnames = [x.strip() for x in argnames.split(",") if x.strip()]
+            force_tuple = len(argnames) == 1
+        else:
+            force_tuple = False
+        parameters = [
+            ParameterSet.extract_from(x, legacy_force_tuple=force_tuple)
+            for x in argvalues]
+        del argvalues
+
+        if not parameters:
+            fs, lineno = getfslineno(function)
+            reason = "got empty parameter set %r, function %s at %s:%d" % (
+                argnames, function.__name__, fs, lineno)
+            mark = MARK_GEN.skip(reason=reason)
+            parameters.append(ParameterSet(
+                values=(NOTSET,) * len(argnames),
+                marks=[mark],
+                id=None,
+            ))
+        return argnames, parameters
+
 
 class MarkerError(Exception):
 
diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index c47422937..83e8dad9a 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -769,30 +769,12 @@ class Metafunc(fixtures.FuncargnamesCompatAttr):
             to set a dynamic scope using test context or configuration.
         """
         from _pytest.fixtures import scope2index
-        from _pytest.mark import MARK_GEN, ParameterSet
+        from _pytest.mark import ParameterSet
         from py.io import saferepr
-
-        if not isinstance(argnames, (tuple, list)):
-            argnames = [x.strip() for x in argnames.split(",") if x.strip()]
-            force_tuple = len(argnames) == 1
-        else:
-            force_tuple = False
-        parameters = [
-            ParameterSet.extract_from(x, legacy_force_tuple=force_tuple)
-            for x in argvalues]
+        argnames, parameters = ParameterSet._for_parameterize(
+            argnames, argvalues, self.function)
         del argvalues
 
-        if not parameters:
-            fs, lineno = getfslineno(self.function)
-            reason = "got empty parameter set %r, function %s at %s:%d" % (
-                argnames, self.function.__name__, fs, lineno)
-            mark = MARK_GEN.skip(reason=reason)
-            parameters.append(ParameterSet(
-                values=(NOTSET,) * len(argnames),
-                marks=[mark],
-                id=None,
-            ))
-
         if scope is None:
             scope = _find_parametrized_scope(argnames, self._arg2fixturedefs, indirect)
 
diff --git a/changelog/2877.trivial b/changelog/2877.trivial
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aaf58b039
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/2877.trivial
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+internal move of the parameterset extraction to a more maintainable place
\ No newline at end of file