diff --git a/_pytest/deprecated.py b/_pytest/deprecated.py
index 38e949677..910510b01 100644
--- a/_pytest/deprecated.py
+++ b/_pytest/deprecated.py
@@ -40,3 +40,8 @@ MARK_PARAMETERSET_UNPACKING = RemovedInPytest4Warning(
     " please use pytest.param(..., marks=...) instead.\n"
     "For more details, see: https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/parametrize.html"
 )
+
+COLLECTOR_MAKEITEM = RemovedInPytest4Warning(
+    "pycollector makeitem was removed "
+    "as it is an accidentially leaked internal api"
+)
diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index 83e8dad9a..fa83286ba 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@ import inspect
 import sys
 import os
 import collections
+import warnings
 from textwrap import dedent
 from itertools import count
 
+
 import py
 import six
 from _pytest.mark import MarkerError
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ import _pytest
 import pluggy
 from _pytest import fixtures
 from _pytest import main
+from _pytest import deprecated
 from _pytest.compat import (
     isclass, isfunction, is_generator, ascii_escaped,
     REGEX_TYPE, STRING_TYPES, NoneType, NOTSET,
@@ -328,7 +331,7 @@ class PyCollector(PyobjMixin, main.Collector):
                 if name in seen:
                     continue
                 seen[name] = True
-                res = self.makeitem(name, obj)
+                res = self._makeitem(name, obj)
                 if res is None:
                     continue
                 if not isinstance(res, list):
@@ -338,6 +341,10 @@ class PyCollector(PyobjMixin, main.Collector):
         return l
 
     def makeitem(self, name, obj):
+        warnings.warn(deprecated.COLLECTOR_MAKEITEM, stacklevel=2)
+        self._makeitem(name, obj)
+
+    def _makeitem(self, name, obj):
         # assert self.ihook.fspath == self.fspath, self
         return self.ihook.pytest_pycollect_makeitem(
             collector=self, name=name, obj=obj)
diff --git a/testing/python/test_deprecations.py b/testing/python/test_deprecations.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5001f765f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/python/test_deprecations.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import pytest
+
+from _pytest.python import PyCollector
+
+
+class PyCollectorMock(PyCollector):
+    """evil hack"""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.called = False
+
+    def _makeitem(self, *k):
+        """hack to disable the actual behaviour"""
+        self.called = True
+
+
+def test_pycollector_makeitem_is_deprecated():
+
+    collector = PyCollectorMock()
+    with pytest.deprecated_call():
+        collector.makeitem('foo', 'bar')
+    assert collector.called