diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index e517b470c..c5bdf6a89 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ Changes between 1.X and 1.1.1
 - install 'py.test' and `py.which` with a ``-$VERSION`` suffix to
   disambiguate between Python3, python2.X, Jython and PyPy installed versions. 
 
+- new "pytestconfig" funcarg allows access to test config object
+
 - make py.test.* helpers provided by default plugins visible early -
   works transparently both for pydoc and for interactive sessions
   which will regularly see e.g. py.test.mark and py.test.importorskip. 
diff --git a/ISSUES.txt b/ISSUES.txt
index b242e373b..2f007821c 100644
--- a/ISSUES.txt
+++ b/ISSUES.txt
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ The test-report header should optionally show information
 about the under-test package and versions/locations of
 involved packages.
 
-install py.test with interpreter-specific prefixes 
---------------------------------------------------------
-tags: feature
-
-When installing under python3, jython or pypy-c it is 
-desirable to (additionally?) install py.test with
-respective suffixes. 
-
 make node._checkcollectable more robust
 -------------------------------------------------
 tags: bug 1.1.2
@@ -101,3 +93,12 @@ A local test run of a "tests" directory may work
 but a remote one fail because the tests directory
 does not contain an "__init__.py". Either give
 an error or make it work without the __init__.py
+
+deprecate ensuretemp / introduce funcargs to setup method
+--------------------------------------------------------------
+tags: wish 1.1.2
+
+The remaining uses of py.test.ensuretemp within the py-test base
+itself are for setup methods.  Also users have expressed the
+wish to have funcargs available to setup functions.  Experiment
+with allowing funcargs there and finalizing deprecating py.test.ensuretemp.
diff --git a/py/impl/test/config.py b/py/impl/test/config.py
index 133b87de9..f4519086c 100644
--- a/py/impl/test/config.py
+++ b/py/impl/test/config.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ def ensuretemp(string, dir=1):
         take care to provide empty unique directories for each 
         test call even if the test is called multiple times. 
     """ 
+    #py.log._apiwarn(">1.1", "use tmpdir function argument")
     return py.test.config.ensuretemp(string, dir=dir)
   
 class CmdOptions(object):
diff --git a/py/plugin/pytest_default.py b/py/plugin/pytest_default.py
index 0c3a4fd15..9257ac3fb 100644
--- a/py/plugin/pytest_default.py
+++ b/py/plugin/pytest_default.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ def pytest_collect_file(path, parent):
         if ext == ".py":
             return parent.Module(path, parent=parent) 
 
+def pytest_funcarg__pytestconfig(request):
+    return request.config
+
 def pytest_collect_directory(path, parent):
     # XXX reconsider the following comment 
     # not use parent.Directory here as we generally 
diff --git a/testing/cmdline/test_cmdline.py b/testing/cmdline/test_cmdline.py
index 660bf2c07..3de0d5dab 100644
--- a/testing/cmdline/test_cmdline.py
+++ b/testing/cmdline/test_cmdline.py
@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
+import sys, py
 
 pytest_plugins = "pytest_pytester"
 
+@py.test.mark.multi(name=[x for x in dir(py.cmdline) if x[0] != "_"])
+def test_cmdmain(name):
+    main = getattr(py.cmdline, name)
+    assert py.builtin.callable(main)
+    assert name[:2] == "py"
+    scriptname = "py." + name[2:]
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        scriptname += ".exe"
+    assert py.path.local.sysfind(scriptname), scriptname
+
 class TestPyLookup:
     def test_basic(self, testdir):
         p = testdir.makepyfile(hello="def x(): pass")
diff --git a/testing/cmdline/test_generic.py b/testing/cmdline/test_generic.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 08ae43dce..000000000
--- a/testing/cmdline/test_generic.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-import py
-import sys
-
-
-def setup_module(mod):
-    mod.binpath = py._impldir.dirpath('bin')
-    if not mod.binpath.check():
-        py.test.skip("bin-source scripts not installed")
-    mod.binwinpath = binpath.join("win32")
-    mod.tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp(__name__)
-    mod.iswin32 = sys.platform == "win32"
-
-def checkmain(name):
-    main = getattr(py.cmdline, name)
-    assert py.builtin.callable(main)
-    assert name[:2] == "py"
-    scriptname = "py." + name[2:]
-    assert binpath.join(scriptname).check()
-    assert binwinpath.join(scriptname + ".cmd").check()
-
-def checkprocess(script):
-    assert script.check()
-    old = tmpdir.ensure(script.basename, dir=1).chdir()
-    try:
-        if iswin32:
-            cmd = script.basename
-        else:
-            cmd = "%s" %(script, )
-            # XXX distributed testing's rsync does not support
-            # syncing executable bits 
-            script.chmod(int("777", 8))
-
-        if script.basename.startswith("py.lookup") or \
-           script.basename.startswith("py.which"):
-            cmd += " sys"
-        py.builtin.print_("executing", script)
-        try:
-            old = script.dirpath().chdir()
-            try:
-                py.process.cmdexec(cmd)
-            finally:
-                old.chdir()
-        except py.process.cmdexec.Error:
-            e = sys.exc_info()[1]
-            if cmd.find("py.rest") != -1 and \
-               e.out.find("module named") != -1:
-                return
-            raise
-                
-    finally:
-        old.chdir()
-
-def test_cmdline_namespace():
-    for name in dir(py.cmdline):
-        if name[0] != "_":
-            yield checkmain, name
-       
-def test_script_invocation():
-    if iswin32:
-        scripts = binwinpath.listdir("py.*")
-    else:
-        scripts = binpath.listdir("py.*")
-    scripts = [x for x in scripts 
-                if not x.basename.startswith("py.svnwcrevert")]
-    for script in scripts:
-        yield checkprocess, script 
diff --git a/testing/code/test_excinfo.py b/testing/code/test_excinfo.py
index e4ba4da3a..29e5ac11d 100644
--- a/testing/code/test_excinfo.py
+++ b/testing/code/test_excinfo.py
@@ -256,16 +256,15 @@ def test_codepath_Queue_example():
     assert path.check()
 
 class TestFormattedExcinfo: 
-    def setup_method(self, method):
-        self.tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp("%s_%s" %(
-            self.__class__.__name__, method.__name__))
-
-    def importasmod(self, source):
-        source = py.code.Source(source)
-        modpath = self.tmpdir.join("mod.py")
-        self.tmpdir.ensure("__init__.py")
-        modpath.write(source)
-        return modpath.pyimport()
+    def pytest_funcarg__importasmod(self, request):
+        def importasmod(source):
+            source = py.code.Source(source)
+            tmpdir = request.getfuncargvalue("tmpdir")
+            modpath = tmpdir.join("mod.py")
+            tmpdir.ensure("__init__.py")
+            modpath.write(source)
+            return modpath.pyimport()
+        return importasmod
 
     def excinfo_from_exec(self, source):
         source = py.code.Source(source).strip()
@@ -392,8 +391,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert reprlocals.lines[2] == 'y          = 5'
         assert reprlocals.lines[3] == 'z          = 7'
 
-    def test_repr_tracebackentry_lines(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_tracebackentry_lines(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def func1():
                 raise ValueError("hello\\nworld")
         """)
@@ -423,8 +422,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert loc.lineno == 3
         #assert loc.message == "ValueError: hello"
 
-    def test_repr_tracebackentry_lines(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_tracebackentry_lines(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def func1(m, x, y, z):
                 raise ValueError("hello\\nworld")
         """)
@@ -447,8 +446,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert tw.lines[1] == "x = 5, y = 13"
         assert tw.lines[2] == "z = " + repr('z' * 120)
 
-    def test_repr_tracebackentry_short(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_tracebackentry_short(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def func1():
                 raise ValueError("hello")
             def entry():
@@ -470,8 +469,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert lines[1] == '    raise ValueError("hello")'
         assert lines[2] == 'E   ValueError: hello'
 
-    def test_repr_tracebackentry_no(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_tracebackentry_no(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def func1():
                 raise ValueError("hello")
             def entry():
@@ -487,8 +486,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert lines[0] == 'E   ValueError: hello'
         assert not lines[1:] 
 
-    def test_repr_traceback_tbfilter(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_traceback_tbfilter(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def f(x):
                 raise ValueError(x)
             def entry():
@@ -502,8 +501,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         reprtb = p.repr_traceback(excinfo)
         assert len(reprtb.reprentries) == 3
 
-    def test_repr_traceback_and_excinfo(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_traceback_and_excinfo(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def f(x):
                 raise ValueError(x)
             def entry():
@@ -523,8 +522,8 @@ raise ValueError()
             assert repr.reprcrash.path.endswith("mod.py")
             assert repr.reprcrash.message == "ValueError: 0"
 
-    def test_repr_excinfo_addouterr(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_excinfo_addouterr(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def entry():
                 raise ValueError()
         """)
@@ -536,8 +535,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert twmock.lines[-1] == "content"
         assert twmock.lines[-2] == ("-", "title")
 
-    def test_repr_excinfo_reprcrash(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_excinfo_reprcrash(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def entry():
                 raise ValueError()
         """)
@@ -548,8 +547,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert repr.reprcrash.message == "ValueError"
         assert str(repr.reprcrash).endswith("mod.py:3: ValueError")
 
-    def test_repr_traceback_recursion(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_repr_traceback_recursion(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def rec2(x):
                 return rec1(x+1)
             def rec1(x):
@@ -565,12 +564,12 @@ raise ValueError()
             assert reprtb.extraline == "!!! Recursion detected (same locals & position)"
             assert str(reprtb)
 
-    def test_tb_entry_AssertionError(self):
+    def test_tb_entry_AssertionError(self, importasmod):
         # probably this test is a bit redundant 
         # as py/magic/testing/test_assertion.py
         # already tests correctness of
         # assertion-reinterpretation  logic 
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def somefunc():
                 x = 1
                 assert x == 2
@@ -586,8 +585,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         lines = reprentry.lines
         assert lines[-1] == "E       assert 1 == 2"
 
-    def test_reprexcinfo_getrepr(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_reprexcinfo_getrepr(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def f(x):
                 raise ValueError(x)
             def entry():
@@ -601,8 +600,8 @@ raise ValueError()
                 assert isinstance(repr, ReprExceptionInfo)
                 assert repr.reprtraceback.style == style 
          
-    def test_toterminal_long(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_toterminal_long(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def g(x):
                 raise ValueError(x)
             def f():
@@ -627,8 +626,8 @@ raise ValueError()
         assert tw.lines[9] == ""
         assert tw.lines[10].endswith("mod.py:3: ValueError")
 
-    def test_toterminal_long_filenames(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    def test_toterminal_long_filenames(self, importasmod):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def f():
                 raise ValueError()
         """)
@@ -651,31 +650,22 @@ raise ValueError()
         finally:
             old.chdir()
 
-    def test_format_excinfo(self):
-        mod = self.importasmod("""
+    @py.test.mark.multi(reproptions=[
+        {'style': style, 'showlocals': showlocals, 
+         'funcargs': funcargs, 'tbfilter': tbfilter
+        } for style in ("long", "short", "no")
+            for showlocals in (True, False) 
+                for tbfilter in (True, False)
+                    for funcargs in (True, False)])
+    def test_format_excinfo(self, importasmod, reproptions):
+        mod = importasmod("""
             def g(x):
                 raise ValueError(x)
             def f():
                 g(3)
         """)
         excinfo = py.test.raises(ValueError, mod.f)
-        def format_and_str(kw):
-            tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(stringio=True)
-            repr = excinfo.getrepr(**kw)
-            repr.toterminal(tw)
-            assert tw.stringio.getvalue()
-           
-        for combo in self.allcombos():
-            yield format_and_str, combo
-
-    def allcombos(self): 
-        for style in ("long", "short", "no"):
-            for showlocals in (True, False):
-                for tbfilter in (True, False):
-                    for funcargs in (True, False):
-                        kw = {'style': style, 
-                              'showlocals': showlocals, 
-                              'funcargs': funcargs, 
-                              'tbfilter': tbfilter
-                        }
-                        yield kw
+        tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(stringio=True)
+        repr = excinfo.getrepr(**reproptions)
+        repr.toterminal(tw)
+        assert tw.stringio.getvalue()
diff --git a/testing/code/test_source.py b/testing/code/test_source.py
index f7d92ddf1..c654ef1ba 100644
--- a/testing/code/test_source.py
+++ b/testing/code/test_source.py
@@ -310,10 +310,9 @@ def test_deindent():
     assert lines == ['', 'def f():', '    def g():', '        pass', '    ']
 
 @py.test.mark.xfail
-def test_source_of_class_at_eof_without_newline():
+def test_source_of_class_at_eof_without_newline(tmpdir):
     # this test fails because the implicit inspect.getsource(A) below 
     # does not return the "x = 1" last line. 
-    tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp("source_write_read")
     source = py.code.Source('''
         class A(object):
             def method(self):
diff --git a/testing/log/test_log.py b/testing/log/test_log.py
index 69d7675f9..39c32740e 100644
--- a/testing/log/test_log.py
+++ b/testing/log/test_log.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ from py.impl.log.log import default_keywordmapper
 callcapture = py.io.StdCapture.call
 
 def setup_module(mod): 
-    mod.tempdir = py.test.ensuretemp("py.log-test") 
     mod._oldstate = default_keywordmapper.getstate()
 
 def teardown_module(mod): 
@@ -116,8 +115,8 @@ class TestLogConsumer:
         assert not err
         assert out.strip() == '[xyz] hello'
 
-    def test_log_file(self):
-        customlog = tempdir.join('log.out')
+    def test_log_file(self, tmpdir):
+        customlog = tmpdir.join('log.out')
         py.log.setconsumer("default", open(str(customlog), 'w', buffering=1))
         py.log.Producer("default")("hello world #1") 
         assert customlog.readlines() == ['[default] hello world #1\n']
@@ -127,8 +126,8 @@ class TestLogConsumer:
         res = customlog.readlines() 
         assert res == ['[default] hello world #2\n'] # no append by default!
         
-    def test_log_file_append_mode(self):
-        logfilefn = tempdir.join('log_append.out')
+    def test_log_file_append_mode(self, tmpdir):
+        logfilefn = tmpdir.join('log_append.out')
 
         # The append mode is on by default, so we don't need to specify it for File
         py.log.setconsumer("default", py.log.Path(logfilefn, append=True, 
@@ -144,8 +143,8 @@ class TestLogConsumer:
         assert lines == ['[default] hello world #1\n', 
                          '[default] hello world #1\n']
 
-    def test_log_file_delayed_create(self):
-        logfilefn = tempdir.join('log_create.out')
+    def test_log_file_delayed_create(self, tmpdir):
+        logfilefn = tmpdir.join('log_create.out')
 
         py.log.setconsumer("default", py.log.Path(logfilefn,
                                         delayed_create=True, buffering=0))
@@ -154,11 +153,11 @@ class TestLogConsumer:
         lines = logfilefn.readlines() 
         assert lines == ['[default] hello world #1\n']
 
-    def test_keyword_based_log_files(self):
+    def test_keyword_based_log_files(self, tmpdir):
         logfiles = []
         keywords = 'k1 k2 k3'.split()
         for key in keywords: 
-            path = tempdir.join(key)
+            path = tmpdir.join(key)
             py.log.setconsumer(key, py.log.Path(path, buffering=0))
       
         py.log.Producer('k1')('1')
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ class TestLogConsumer:
         py.log.Producer('k3')('3')
 
         for key in keywords: 
-            path = tempdir.join(key)
+            path = tmpdir.join(key)
             assert path.read().strip() == '[%s] %s' % (key, key[-1])
 
     # disabled for now; the syslog log file can usually be read only by root
diff --git a/testing/process/test_killproc.py b/testing/process/test_killproc.py
index 88fe4dd6d..4c89eb1d9 100644
--- a/testing/process/test_killproc.py
+++ b/testing/process/test_killproc.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 
 import py, sys
 
-def test_kill():
+def test_kill(tmpdir):
     subprocess = py.test.importorskip("subprocess")
-    tmp = py.test.ensuretemp("test_kill")
-    t = tmp.join("t.py")
+    t = tmpdir.join("t.py")
     t.write("import time ; time.sleep(100)")
     proc = py.std.subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, str(t)])
     assert proc.poll() is None # no return value yet
diff --git a/testing/pytest/acceptance_test.py b/testing/pytest/acceptance_test.py
index c293d3a0b..9571f6a56 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/acceptance_test.py
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ class TestGeneralUsage:
         mytemp = testdir.tmpdir.mkdir("mytemp")
         p = testdir.makepyfile("""
             import py
-            def test_1(): 
-                py.test.ensuretemp('xyz')
+            def test_1(pytestconfig):
+                pytestconfig.getbasetemp().ensure("hello")
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest(p, '--basetemp=%s' %mytemp)
         assert result.ret == 0
-        assert mytemp.join('xyz').check(dir=1)
+        assert mytemp.join('hello').check()
                 
     def test_assertion_magic(self, testdir):
         p = testdir.makepyfile("""
diff --git a/testing/pytest/test_config.py b/testing/pytest/test_config.py
index e98f2e580..5d6a3a693 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/test_config.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/test_config.py
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ def test_options_on_small_file_do_not_blow_up(testdir):
                  ['--traceconfig'], ['-v'], ['-v', '-v']):
         runfiletest(opts + [path])
 
-def test_ensuretemp():
-    # XXX test for deprecation
+def test_ensuretemp(recwarn):
+    #py.test.deprecated_call(py.test.ensuretemp, 'hello')
     d1 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
     d2 = py.test.ensuretemp('hello') 
     assert d1 == d2
diff --git a/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py b/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
index 2dbc25967..3663b1811 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/test_conftesthandle.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
 
 def pytest_funcarg__basedir(request): 
     def basedirmaker(request):
-        basedir = d = request.config.ensuretemp(request.param) 
+        basedir = d = request.getfuncargvalue("tmpdir")
         d.ensure("adir/conftest.py").write("a=1 ; Directory = 3")
         d.ensure("adir/b/conftest.py").write("b=2 ; a = 1.5")
         if request.param == "inpackage":