diff --git a/src/_pytest/_code/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/_code/__init__.py
index 815c13b42..7885d51de 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/_code/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/_code/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from .code import Code  # noqa
 from .code import ExceptionInfo  # noqa
 from .code import Frame  # noqa
 from .code import Traceback  # noqa
+from .code import filter_traceback  # noqa
 from .code import getrawcode  # noqa
 from .source import Source  # noqa
 from .source import compile_ as compile  # noqa
diff --git a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
index b2321c02d..c0f6d21a2 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import traceback
 from inspect import CO_VARARGS, CO_VARKEYWORDS
 
 import attr
+import pluggy
 import re
 from weakref import ref
+import _pytest
 from _pytest.compat import _PY2, _PY3, PY35, safe_str
 from six import text_type
 import py
@@ -1007,3 +1009,36 @@ else:
             return "maximum recursion depth exceeded" in str(excinfo.value)
         except UnicodeError:
             return False
+
+
+# relative paths that we use to filter traceback entries from appearing to the user;
+# see filter_traceback
+# note: if we need to add more paths than what we have now we should probably use a list
+# for better maintenance
+
+_PLUGGY_DIR = py.path.local(pluggy.__file__.rstrip("oc"))
+# pluggy is either a package or a single module depending on the version
+if _PLUGGY_DIR.basename == "__init__.py":
+    _PLUGGY_DIR = _PLUGGY_DIR.dirpath()
+_PYTEST_DIR = py.path.local(_pytest.__file__).dirpath()
+_PY_DIR = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
+
+
+def filter_traceback(entry):
+    """Return True if a TracebackEntry instance should be removed from tracebacks:
+    * dynamically generated code (no code to show up for it);
+    * internal traceback from pytest or its internal libraries, py and pluggy.
+    """
+    # entry.path might sometimes return a str object when the entry
+    # points to dynamically generated code
+    # see https://bitbucket.org/pytest-dev/py/issues/71
+    raw_filename = entry.frame.code.raw.co_filename
+    is_generated = "<" in raw_filename and ">" in raw_filename
+    if is_generated:
+        return False
+    # entry.path might point to a non-existing file, in which case it will
+    # also return a str object. see #1133
+    p = py.path.local(entry.path)
+    return (
+        not p.relto(_PLUGGY_DIR) and not p.relto(_PYTEST_DIR) and not p.relto(_PY_DIR)
+    )
diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
index 363412abb..3a3e064a9 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import _pytest._code
 import _pytest.hookspec  # the extension point definitions
 import _pytest.assertion
 from pluggy import PluginManager, HookimplMarker, HookspecMarker
+from _pytest._code import ExceptionInfo, filter_traceback
 from _pytest.compat import safe_str
 from .exceptions import UsageError, PrintHelp
 from .findpaths import determine_setup, exists
@@ -57,15 +58,11 @@ def main(args=None, plugins=None):
         try:
             config = _prepareconfig(args, plugins)
         except ConftestImportFailure as e:
-            from _pytest._code import ExceptionInfo
-
             exc_info = ExceptionInfo(e.excinfo)
             tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(sys.stderr)
             tw.line(
                 "ImportError while loading conftest '{e.path}'.".format(e=e), red=True
             )
-            from _pytest.python import filter_traceback
-
             exc_info.traceback = exc_info.traceback.filter(filter_traceback)
             exc_repr = (
                 exc_info.getrepr(style="short", chain=False)
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python.py b/src/_pytest/python.py
index e9d05666f..8337c7469 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from _pytest.main import FSHookProxy
 from _pytest.config import hookimpl
 
 import _pytest
-import pluggy
+from _pytest._code import filter_traceback
 from _pytest import fixtures
 from _pytest import nodes
 from _pytest import deprecated
@@ -46,37 +46,6 @@ from _pytest.mark.structures import (
 )
 from _pytest.warning_types import RemovedInPytest4Warning, PytestWarning
 
-# relative paths that we use to filter traceback entries from appearing to the user;
-# see filter_traceback
-# note: if we need to add more paths than what we have now we should probably use a list
-# for better maintenance
-_pluggy_dir = py.path.local(pluggy.__file__.rstrip("oc"))
-# pluggy is either a package or a single module depending on the version
-if _pluggy_dir.basename == "__init__.py":
-    _pluggy_dir = _pluggy_dir.dirpath()
-_pytest_dir = py.path.local(_pytest.__file__).dirpath()
-_py_dir = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
-
-
-def filter_traceback(entry):
-    """Return True if a TracebackEntry instance should be removed from tracebacks:
-    * dynamically generated code (no code to show up for it);
-    * internal traceback from pytest or its internal libraries, py and pluggy.
-    """
-    # entry.path might sometimes return a str object when the entry
-    # points to dynamically generated code
-    # see https://bitbucket.org/pytest-dev/py/issues/71
-    raw_filename = entry.frame.code.raw.co_filename
-    is_generated = "<" in raw_filename and ">" in raw_filename
-    if is_generated:
-        return False
-    # entry.path might point to a non-existing file, in which case it will
-    # also return a str object. see #1133
-    p = py.path.local(entry.path)
-    return (
-        not p.relto(_pluggy_dir) and not p.relto(_pytest_dir) and not p.relto(_py_dir)
-    )
-
 
 def pyobj_property(name):
     def get(self):