diff --git a/bench/empty.py b/bench/empty.py
index b90319936..338ebf138 100644
--- a/bench/empty.py
+++ b/bench/empty.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import py
+import six
 
 for i in range(1000):
-    py.builtin.exec_("def test_func_%d(): pass" % i)
+    six.exec_("def test_func_%d(): pass" % i)
diff --git a/doc/en/example/assertion/failure_demo.py b/doc/en/example/assertion/failure_demo.py
index 0a104578c..def6ae2ef 100644
--- a/doc/en/example/assertion/failure_demo.py
+++ b/doc/en/example/assertion/failure_demo.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from pytest import raises
 import _pytest._code
-import py
+import six
 
 
 def otherfunc(a, b):
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def test_dynamic_compile_shows_nicely():
     name = "abc-123"
     module = imp.new_module(name)
     code = _pytest._code.compile(src, name, "exec")
-    py.builtin.exec_(code, module.__dict__)
+    six.exec_(code, module.__dict__)
     sys.modules[name] = module
     module.foo()
 
diff --git a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
index d6c5cd90e..2662e4320 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from weakref import ref
 from _pytest.compat import _PY2, _PY3, PY35, safe_str
 from six import text_type
 import py
+import six
 
 builtin_repr = repr
 
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ class Frame(object):
         """
         f_locals = self.f_locals.copy()
         f_locals.update(vars)
-        py.builtin.exec_(code, self.f_globals, f_locals)
+        six.exec_(code, self.f_globals, f_locals)
 
     def repr(self, object):
         """ return a 'safe' (non-recursive, one-line) string repr for 'object'
diff --git a/src/_pytest/assertion/rewrite.py b/src/_pytest/assertion/rewrite.py
index 4f96b9e8c..952cfb594 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/assertion/rewrite.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/assertion/rewrite.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class AssertionRewritingHook(object):
             mod.__loader__ = self
             # Normally, this attribute is 3.4+
             mod.__spec__ = spec_from_file_location(name, co.co_filename, loader=self)
-            py.builtin.exec_(co, mod.__dict__)
+            six.exec_(co, mod.__dict__)
         except:  # noqa
             if name in sys.modules:
                 del sys.modules[name]
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python_api.py b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
index abc4d1e17..6cd17de25 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python_api.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import sys
 from numbers import Number
 from decimal import Decimal
 
-import py
+import six
 from six.moves import zip, filterfalse
 from more_itertools.more import always_iterable
 
@@ -680,8 +680,8 @@ def raises(expected_exception, *args, **kwargs):
         # print "raises frame scope: %r" % frame.f_locals
         try:
             code = _pytest._code.Source(code).compile()
-            py.builtin.exec_(code, frame.f_globals, loc)
-            # XXX didn'T mean f_globals == f_locals something special?
+            six.exec_(code, frame.f_globals, loc)
+            # XXX didn't mean f_globals == f_locals something special?
             #     this is destroyed here ...
         except expected_exception:
             return _pytest._code.ExceptionInfo()
diff --git a/src/_pytest/recwarn.py b/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
index 177757f27..0eee4c841 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 import inspect
 
 import _pytest._code
-import py
+import re
 import sys
 import warnings
 
-import re
+import six
 
 from _pytest.fixtures import yield_fixture
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def warns(expected_warning, *args, **kwargs):
 
         with WarningsChecker(expected_warning, match_expr=match_expr):
             code = _pytest._code.Source(code).compile()
-            py.builtin.exec_(code, frame.f_globals, loc)
+            six.exec_(code, frame.f_globals, loc)
     else:
         func = args[0]
         with WarningsChecker(expected_warning, match_expr=match_expr):
diff --git a/testing/code/test_source.py b/testing/code/test_source.py
index 995fabcf4..d7e8fe422 100644
--- a/testing/code/test_source.py
+++ b/testing/code/test_source.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import inspect
 import sys
 
 import _pytest._code
-import py
 import pytest
+import six
 from _pytest._code import Source
 from _pytest._code.source import ast
 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class TestSourceParsingAndCompiling(object):
 
     def test_compile_and_getsource(self):
         co = self.source.compile()
-        py.builtin.exec_(co, globals())
+        six.exec_(co, globals())
         f(7)
         excinfo = pytest.raises(AssertionError, "f(6)")
         frame = excinfo.traceback[-1].frame
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def test_getfuncsource_dynamic():
         def g(): pass
     """
     co = _pytest._code.compile(source)
-    py.builtin.exec_(co, globals())
+    six.exec_(co, globals())
     assert str(_pytest._code.Source(f)).strip() == "def f():\n    raise ValueError"
     assert str(_pytest._code.Source(g)).strip() == "def g(): pass"
 
diff --git a/testing/test_assertrewrite.py b/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
index c5cabf79b..1ba3f9473 100644
--- a/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
+++ b/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import textwrap
 import zipfile
 import py
 import pytest
+import six
 
 import _pytest._code
 from _pytest.assertion import util
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ def getmsg(f, extra_ns=None, must_pass=False):
     ns = {}
     if extra_ns is not None:
         ns.update(extra_ns)
-    py.builtin.exec_(code, ns)
+    six.exec_(code, ns)
     func = ns[f.__name__]
     try:
         func()