diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 4d127d3c5..e9a970ca7 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ repos:
     hooks:
     -   id: flake8
         language_version: python3
-        additional_dependencies: [flake8-typing-imports]
+        additional_dependencies: [flake8-typing-imports==1.3.0]
 -   repo: https://github.com/asottile/reorder_python_imports
     rev: v1.4.0
     hooks:
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 5de40f3a4..c1f7ad357 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ jobs:
       python: 'pypy3'
 
     - env: TOXENV=py35-xdist
-      python: '3.5'
+      dist: trusty
+      python: '3.5.0'
 
     # Coverage for:
     # - pytester's LsofFdLeakChecker
diff --git a/changelog/5751.bugfix.rst b/changelog/5751.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..879909c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/5751.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed ``TypeError`` when importing pytest on Python 3.5.0 and 3.5.1.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
index 7d72234e7..a0f4d15ce 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ class ExceptionInfo(Generic[_E]):
         )
         return fmt.repr_excinfo(self)
 
-    def match(self, regexp: Union[str, Pattern]) -> bool:
+    def match(self, regexp: "Union[str, Pattern]") -> bool:
         """
         Check whether the regular expression 'regexp' is found in the string
         representation of the exception using ``re.search``. If it matches
diff --git a/src/_pytest/compat.py b/src/_pytest/compat.py
index 790442b0c..3d1531e77 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/compat.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/compat.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import sys
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from inspect import Parameter
 from inspect import signature
+from typing import overload
 
 import attr
 import py
@@ -347,3 +348,9 @@ class FuncargnamesCompatAttr:
 
         warnings.warn(FUNCARGNAMES, stacklevel=2)
         return self.fixturenames
+
+
+if sys.version_info < (3, 5, 2):  # pragma: no cover
+
+    def overload(f):  # noqa: F811
+        return f
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python_api.py b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
index fbc3d914e..f03d45ab7 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python_api.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ from typing import Callable
 from typing import cast
 from typing import Generic
 from typing import Optional
-from typing import overload
 from typing import Pattern
 from typing import Tuple
 from typing import TypeVar
@@ -22,12 +21,14 @@ from typing import Union
 from more_itertools.more import always_iterable
 
 import _pytest._code
+from _pytest.compat import overload
 from _pytest.compat import STRING_TYPES
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
 
 if False:  # TYPE_CHECKING
     from typing import Type  # noqa: F401 (used in type string)
 
+
 BASE_TYPE = (type, STRING_TYPES)
 
 
@@ -547,12 +548,12 @@ _E = TypeVar("_E", bound=BaseException)
 def raises(
     expected_exception: Union["Type[_E]", Tuple["Type[_E]", ...]],
     *,
-    match: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = ...
+    match: "Optional[Union[str, Pattern]]" = ...
 ) -> "RaisesContext[_E]":
     ...  # pragma: no cover
 
 
-@overload
+@overload  # noqa: F811
 def raises(
     expected_exception: Union["Type[_E]", Tuple["Type[_E]", ...]],
     func: Callable,
@@ -563,10 +564,10 @@ def raises(
     ...  # pragma: no cover
 
 
-def raises(
+def raises(  # noqa: F811
     expected_exception: Union["Type[_E]", Tuple["Type[_E]", ...]],
     *args: Any,
-    match: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = None,
+    match: Optional[Union[str, "Pattern"]] = None,
     **kwargs: Any
 ) -> Union["RaisesContext[_E]", Optional[_pytest._code.ExceptionInfo[_E]]]:
     r"""
@@ -724,7 +725,7 @@ class RaisesContext(Generic[_E]):
         self,
         expected_exception: Union["Type[_E]", Tuple["Type[_E]", ...]],
         message: str,
-        match_expr: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = None,
+        match_expr: Optional[Union[str, "Pattern"]] = None,
     ) -> None:
         self.expected_exception = expected_exception
         self.message = message
diff --git a/src/_pytest/recwarn.py b/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
index 19e3938c3..58076d66b 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/recwarn.py
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ from typing import Callable
 from typing import Iterator
 from typing import List
 from typing import Optional
-from typing import overload
 from typing import Pattern
 from typing import Tuple
 from typing import Union
 
+from _pytest.compat import overload
 from _pytest.fixtures import yield_fixture
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
 
@@ -58,26 +58,26 @@ def deprecated_call(func=None, *args, **kwargs):
 def warns(
     expected_warning: Union["Type[Warning]", Tuple["Type[Warning]", ...]],
     *,
-    match: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = ...
+    match: "Optional[Union[str, Pattern]]" = ...
 ) -> "WarningsChecker":
     ...  # pragma: no cover
 
 
-@overload
+@overload  # noqa: F811
 def warns(
     expected_warning: Union["Type[Warning]", Tuple["Type[Warning]", ...]],
     func: Callable,
     *args: Any,
-    match: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = ...,
+    match: Optional[Union[str, "Pattern"]] = ...,
     **kwargs: Any
 ) -> Union[Any]:
     ...  # pragma: no cover
 
 
-def warns(
+def warns(  # noqa: F811
     expected_warning: Union["Type[Warning]", Tuple["Type[Warning]", ...]],
     *args: Any,
-    match: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = None,
+    match: Optional[Union[str, "Pattern"]] = None,
     **kwargs: Any
 ) -> Union["WarningsChecker", Any]:
     r"""Assert that code raises a particular class of warning.
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class WarningsChecker(WarningsRecorder):
         expected_warning: Optional[
             Union["Type[Warning]", Tuple["Type[Warning]", ...]]
         ] = None,
-        match_expr: Optional[Union[str, Pattern]] = None,
+        match_expr: Optional[Union[str, "Pattern"]] = None,
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__()
 
diff --git a/testing/python/raises.py b/testing/python/raises.py
index 668be57fc..28b0715c0 100644
--- a/testing/python/raises.py
+++ b/testing/python/raises.py
@@ -163,9 +163,16 @@ class TestRaises:
 
         class T:
             def __call__(self):
+                # Early versions of Python 3.5 have some bug causing the
+                # __call__ frame to still refer to t even after everything
+                # is done. This makes the test pass for them.
+                if sys.version_info < (3, 5, 2):  # pragma: no cover
+                    del self
                 raise ValueError
 
         t = T()
+        refcount = len(gc.get_referrers(t))
+
         if method == "function":
             pytest.raises(ValueError, t)
         else:
@@ -175,14 +182,7 @@ class TestRaises:
         # ensure both forms of pytest.raises don't leave exceptions in sys.exc_info()
         assert sys.exc_info() == (None, None, None)
 
-        del t
-        # Make sure this does get updated in locals dict
-        # otherwise it could keep a reference
-        locals()
-
-        # ensure the t instance is not stuck in a cyclic reference
-        for o in gc.get_objects():
-            assert type(o) is not T
+        assert refcount == len(gc.get_referrers(t))
 
     def test_raises_match(self):
         msg = r"with base \d+"