diff --git a/_pytest/skipping.py b/_pytest/skipping.py
index 228c52935..f2ee41518 100644
--- a/_pytest/skipping.py
+++ b/_pytest/skipping.py
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     )
 
 
-def pytest_namespace():
-    return dict(xfail=xfail)
-
-
 class XFailed(pytest.fail.Exception):
     """ raised from an explicit call to pytest.xfail() """
 
diff --git a/pytest.py b/pytest.py
index 95cb8ccc6..c05ed77de 100644
--- a/pytest.py
+++ b/pytest.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'yield_fixture',
     'fail',
     'skip',
+    'xfail',
     'importorskip',
     'exit',
     'mark',
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ from _pytest.debugging import pytestPDB as __pytestPDB
 from _pytest.recwarn import warns, deprecated_call
 from _pytest.runner import fail, skip, importorskip, exit
 from _pytest.mark import MARK_GEN as mark
+from _pytest.skipping import xfail
 set_trace = __pytestPDB.set_trace
 
 _preloadplugins() # to populate pytest.* namespace so help(pytest) works