diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index c2f53fef6..88ac07419 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ NEXT
 - fix issue544 by only removing "@NUM" at the end of "::" separated parts 
   and if the part has an ".py" extension
 
+- don't use py.std import helper, rather import things directly.
+  Thanks Bruno Oliveira.
+
 2.6
 -----------------------------------
 
diff --git a/_pytest/__init__.py b/_pytest/__init__.py
index f8d003fcf..35cf9d652 100644
--- a/_pytest/__init__.py
+++ b/_pytest/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #
-__version__ = '2.6.1.dev1'
+__version__ = '2.6.1.dev2'
diff --git a/_pytest/genscript.py b/_pytest/genscript.py
index 7dddcfc57..9104dcab8 100755
--- a/_pytest/genscript.py
+++ b/_pytest/genscript.py
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 """ generate a single-file self-contained version of pytest """
-import base64
-import pickle
 import py
 import sys
-import zlib
 
 
 def find_toplevel(name):
@@ -33,6 +30,7 @@ def pkg_to_mapping(name):
     return name2src
 
 def compress_mapping(mapping):
+    import base64, pickle, zlib
     data = pickle.dumps(mapping, 2)
     data = zlib.compress(data, 9)
     data = base64.encodestring(data)
diff --git a/_pytest/junitxml.py b/_pytest/junitxml.py
index 2a86c8dee..2371e17ba 100644
--- a/_pytest/junitxml.py
+++ b/_pytest/junitxml.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 Based on initial code from Ross Lawley.
 """
-import codecs
-
 import py
 import os
 import re
@@ -11,20 +9,13 @@ import sys
 import time
 
 # Python 2.X and 3.X compatibility
-try:
-    unichr(65)
-except NameError:
+if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+    from codecs import open
+else:
     unichr = chr
-try:
-    unicode('A')
-except NameError:
     unicode = str
-try:
-    long(1)
-except NameError:
     long = int
 
-
 class Junit(py.xml.Namespace):
     pass
 
@@ -207,11 +198,7 @@ class LogXML(object):
         self.suite_start_time = time.time()
 
     def pytest_sessionfinish(self):
-        if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
-            logfile = codecs.open(self.logfile, 'w', encoding='utf-8')
-        else:
-            logfile = open(self.logfile, 'w', encoding='utf-8')
-
+        logfile = open(self.logfile, 'w', encoding='utf-8')
         suite_stop_time = time.time()
         suite_time_delta = suite_stop_time - self.suite_start_time
         numtests = self.passed + self.failed
diff --git a/_pytest/unittest.py b/_pytest/unittest.py
index 666519129..af2aa9357 100644
--- a/_pytest/unittest.py
+++ b/_pytest/unittest.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 """ discovery and running of std-library "unittest" style tests. """
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import traceback
-import unittest
 import sys
 
 import pytest
@@ -12,22 +11,15 @@ import py
 from _pytest.python import transfer_markers
 
 
-def is_unittest(obj):
-    """Is obj a subclass of unittest.TestCase?"""
-    unittest = sys.modules.get('unittest')
-    if unittest is None:
-        return  # nobody can have derived unittest.TestCase
-    try:
-        return issubclass(obj, unittest.TestCase)
-    except KeyboardInterrupt:
-        raise
-    except:
-        return False
-
-
 def pytest_pycollect_makeitem(collector, name, obj):
-    if is_unittest(obj):
-        return UnitTestCase(name, parent=collector)
+    # has unittest been imported and is obj a subclass of its TestCase?
+    try:
+        if not issubclass(obj, sys.modules["unittest"].TestCase):
+            return
+    except Exception:
+        return
+    # yes, so let's collect it
+    return UnitTestCase(name, parent=collector)
 
 
 class UnitTestCase(pytest.Class):
@@ -47,11 +39,12 @@ class UnitTestCase(pytest.Class):
         super(UnitTestCase, self).setup()
 
     def collect(self):
+        from unittest import TestLoader
         cls = self.obj
         if not getattr(cls, "__test__", True):
             return
         self.session._fixturemanager.parsefactories(self, unittest=True)
-        loader = unittest.TestLoader()
+        loader = TestLoader()
         module = self.getparent(pytest.Module).obj
         foundsomething = False
         for name in loader.getTestCaseNames(self.obj):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e3ad2ad15..1c34bb2c0 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def main():
         name='pytest',
         description='pytest: simple powerful testing with Python',
         long_description=long_description,
-        version='2.6.1.dev1',
+        version='2.6.1.dev2',
         url='http://pytest.org',
         license='MIT license',
         platforms=['unix', 'linux', 'osx', 'cygwin', 'win32'],