diff --git a/pytest/plugin/_pytest.py b/pytest/plugin/_pytest.py
deleted file mode 100644
index d8f448da6..000000000
--- a/pytest/plugin/_pytest.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,123 +0,0 @@
-import py
-
-from pytest._core import HookRelay
-
-def pytest_funcarg___pytest(request):
-    return PytestArg(request)
-
-class PytestArg:
-    def __init__(self, request):
-        self.request = request
-
-    def gethookrecorder(self, hook):
-        hookrecorder = HookRecorder(hook._registry)
-        hookrecorder.start_recording(hook._hookspecs)
-        self.request.addfinalizer(hookrecorder.finish_recording)
-        return hookrecorder
-
-class ParsedCall:
-    def __init__(self, name, locals):
-        assert '_name' not in locals
-        self.__dict__.update(locals)
-        self.__dict__.pop('self')
-        self._name = name
-
-    def __repr__(self):
-        d = self.__dict__.copy()
-        del d['_name']
-        return "<ParsedCall %r(**%r)>" %(self._name, d)
-
-class HookRecorder:
-    def __init__(self, registry):
-        self._registry = registry
-        self.calls = []
-        self._recorders = {}
-
-    def start_recording(self, hookspecs):
-        if not isinstance(hookspecs, (list, tuple)):
-            hookspecs = [hookspecs]
-        for hookspec in hookspecs:
-            assert hookspec not in self._recorders
-            class RecordCalls:
-                _recorder = self
-            for name, method in vars(hookspec).items():
-                if name[0] != "_":
-                    setattr(RecordCalls, name, self._makecallparser(method))
-            recorder = RecordCalls()
-            self._recorders[hookspec] = recorder
-            self._registry.register(recorder)
-        self.hook = HookRelay(hookspecs, registry=self._registry,
-            prefix="pytest_")
-
-    def finish_recording(self):
-        for recorder in self._recorders.values():
-            self._registry.unregister(recorder)
-        self._recorders.clear()
-
-    def _makecallparser(self, method):
-        name = method.__name__
-        args, varargs, varkw, default = py.std.inspect.getargspec(method)
-        if not args or args[0] != "self":
-            args.insert(0, 'self')
-        fspec = py.std.inspect.formatargspec(args, varargs, varkw, default)
-        # we use exec because we want to have early type
-        # errors on wrong input arguments, using
-        # *args/**kwargs delays this and gives errors
-        # elsewhere
-        exec (py.code.compile("""
-            def %(name)s%(fspec)s:
-                        self._recorder.calls.append(
-                            ParsedCall(%(name)r, locals()))
-        """ % locals()))
-        return locals()[name]
-
-    def getcalls(self, names):
-        if isinstance(names, str):
-            names = names.split()
-        for name in names:
-            for cls in self._recorders:
-                if name in vars(cls):
-                    break
-            else:
-                raise ValueError("callname %r not found in %r" %(
-                name, self._recorders.keys()))
-        l = []
-        for call in self.calls:
-            if call._name in names:
-                l.append(call)
-        return l
-
-    def contains(self, entries):
-        from py.builtin import print_
-        i = 0
-        entries = list(entries)
-        backlocals = py.std.sys._getframe(1).f_locals 
-        while entries:
-            name, check = entries.pop(0)
-            for ind, call in enumerate(self.calls[i:]):
-                if call._name == name:
-                    print_("NAMEMATCH", name, call)
-                    if eval(check, backlocals, call.__dict__):
-                        print_("CHECKERMATCH", repr(check), "->", call)
-                    else:
-                        print_("NOCHECKERMATCH", repr(check), "-", call)
-                        continue
-                    i += ind + 1
-                    break
-                print_("NONAMEMATCH", name, "with", call)
-            else:
-                raise AssertionError("could not find %r in %r" %(
-                    name, self.calls[i:]))
-
-    def popcall(self, name):
-        for i, call in enumerate(self.calls):
-            if call._name == name:
-                del self.calls[i]
-                return call
-        raise ValueError("could not find call %r" %(name, ))
-
-    def getcall(self, name):
-        l = self.getcalls(name)
-        assert len(l) == 1, (name, l)
-        return l[0]
-
diff --git a/pytest/plugin/pytester.py b/pytest/plugin/pytester.py
index cfcf5fe74..3cafb2c76 100644
--- a/pytest/plugin/pytester.py
+++ b/pytest/plugin/pytester.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from fnmatch import fnmatch
 from pytest._core import Config as pytestConfig
 from pytest.plugin.session import Collection
 from py.builtin import print_
+from pytest._core import HookRelay
 
 def pytest_addoption(parser):
     group = parser.getgroup("pylib")
@@ -19,7 +20,125 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
            help=("discover tools on PATH instead of going through py.cmdline.")
     )
 
-pytest_plugins = '_pytest'
+def pytest_funcarg___pytest(request):
+    return PytestArg(request)
+
+class PytestArg:
+    def __init__(self, request):
+        self.request = request
+
+    def gethookrecorder(self, hook):
+        hookrecorder = HookRecorder(hook._registry)
+        hookrecorder.start_recording(hook._hookspecs)
+        self.request.addfinalizer(hookrecorder.finish_recording)
+        return hookrecorder
+
+class ParsedCall:
+    def __init__(self, name, locals):
+        assert '_name' not in locals
+        self.__dict__.update(locals)
+        self.__dict__.pop('self')
+        self._name = name
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        d = self.__dict__.copy()
+        del d['_name']
+        return "<ParsedCall %r(**%r)>" %(self._name, d)
+
+class HookRecorder:
+    def __init__(self, registry):
+        self._registry = registry
+        self.calls = []
+        self._recorders = {}
+
+    def start_recording(self, hookspecs):
+        if not isinstance(hookspecs, (list, tuple)):
+            hookspecs = [hookspecs]
+        for hookspec in hookspecs:
+            assert hookspec not in self._recorders
+            class RecordCalls:
+                _recorder = self
+            for name, method in vars(hookspec).items():
+                if name[0] != "_":
+                    setattr(RecordCalls, name, self._makecallparser(method))
+            recorder = RecordCalls()
+            self._recorders[hookspec] = recorder
+            self._registry.register(recorder)
+        self.hook = HookRelay(hookspecs, registry=self._registry,
+            prefix="pytest_")
+
+    def finish_recording(self):
+        for recorder in self._recorders.values():
+            self._registry.unregister(recorder)
+        self._recorders.clear()
+
+    def _makecallparser(self, method):
+        name = method.__name__
+        args, varargs, varkw, default = py.std.inspect.getargspec(method)
+        if not args or args[0] != "self":
+            args.insert(0, 'self')
+        fspec = py.std.inspect.formatargspec(args, varargs, varkw, default)
+        # we use exec because we want to have early type
+        # errors on wrong input arguments, using
+        # *args/**kwargs delays this and gives errors
+        # elsewhere
+        exec (py.code.compile("""
+            def %(name)s%(fspec)s:
+                        self._recorder.calls.append(
+                            ParsedCall(%(name)r, locals()))
+        """ % locals()))
+        return locals()[name]
+
+    def getcalls(self, names):
+        if isinstance(names, str):
+            names = names.split()
+        for name in names:
+            for cls in self._recorders:
+                if name in vars(cls):
+                    break
+            else:
+                raise ValueError("callname %r not found in %r" %(
+                name, self._recorders.keys()))
+        l = []
+        for call in self.calls:
+            if call._name in names:
+                l.append(call)
+        return l
+
+    def contains(self, entries):
+        from py.builtin import print_
+        i = 0
+        entries = list(entries)
+        backlocals = py.std.sys._getframe(1).f_locals 
+        while entries:
+            name, check = entries.pop(0)
+            for ind, call in enumerate(self.calls[i:]):
+                if call._name == name:
+                    print_("NAMEMATCH", name, call)
+                    if eval(check, backlocals, call.__dict__):
+                        print_("CHECKERMATCH", repr(check), "->", call)
+                    else:
+                        print_("NOCHECKERMATCH", repr(check), "-", call)
+                        continue
+                    i += ind + 1
+                    break
+                print_("NONAMEMATCH", name, "with", call)
+            else:
+                raise AssertionError("could not find %r in %r" %(
+                    name, self.calls[i:]))
+
+    def popcall(self, name):
+        for i, call in enumerate(self.calls):
+            if call._name == name:
+                del self.calls[i]
+                return call
+        raise ValueError("could not find call %r" %(name, ))
+
+    def getcall(self, name):
+        l = self.getcalls(name)
+        assert len(l) == 1, (name, l)
+        return l[0]
+
 
 def pytest_funcarg__linecomp(request):
     return LineComp()
diff --git a/testing/plugin/test__pytest.py b/testing/plugin/test__pytest.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ecb30062e..000000000
--- a/testing/plugin/test__pytest.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-import py
-import os, sys
-from pytest.plugin._pytest import HookRecorder
-from pytest._core import Registry
-
-def test_hookrecorder_basic():
-    rec = HookRecorder(Registry())
-    class ApiClass:
-        def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
-            "x"
-    rec.start_recording(ApiClass)
-    rec.hook.pytest_xyz(arg=123)
-    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
-    assert call.arg == 123
-    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
-    py.test.raises(ValueError, "rec.popcall('abc')")
-
-def test_hookrecorder_basic_no_args_hook():
-    rec = HookRecorder(Registry())
-    apimod = type(os)('api')
-    def pytest_xyz():
-        "x"
-    apimod.pytest_xyz = pytest_xyz
-    rec.start_recording(apimod)
-    rec.hook.pytest_xyz()
-    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
-    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
-
-def test_functional(testdir, linecomp):
-    reprec = testdir.inline_runsource("""
-        import py
-        from pytest._core import HookRelay, Registry
-        pytest_plugins="_pytest"
-        def test_func(_pytest):
-            class ApiClass:
-                def pytest_xyz(self, arg):  "x"
-            hook = HookRelay([ApiClass], Registry())
-            rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(hook)
-            class Plugin:
-                def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
-                    return arg + 1
-            rec._registry.register(Plugin())
-            res = rec.hook.pytest_xyz(arg=41)
-            assert res == [42]
-    """)
-    reprec.assertoutcome(passed=1)
diff --git a/testing/plugin/test_pytester.py b/testing/plugin/test_pytester.py
index 9090a896c..cd6f8ea70 100644
--- a/testing/plugin/test_pytester.py
+++ b/testing/plugin/test_pytester.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import py
-from pytest.plugin.pytester import LineMatcher, LineComp
+import os, sys
+from pytest.plugin.pytester import LineMatcher, LineComp, HookRecorder
+from pytest._core import Registry
 
 def test_reportrecorder(testdir):
     item = testdir.getitem("def test_func(): pass")
@@ -69,3 +71,44 @@ def test_testdir_runs_with_plugin(testdir):
         "*1 passed*"
     ])
 
+def test_hookrecorder_basic():
+    rec = HookRecorder(Registry())
+    class ApiClass:
+        def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
+            "x"
+    rec.start_recording(ApiClass)
+    rec.hook.pytest_xyz(arg=123)
+    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
+    assert call.arg == 123
+    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
+    py.test.raises(ValueError, "rec.popcall('abc')")
+
+def test_hookrecorder_basic_no_args_hook():
+    rec = HookRecorder(Registry())
+    apimod = type(os)('api')
+    def pytest_xyz():
+        "x"
+    apimod.pytest_xyz = pytest_xyz
+    rec.start_recording(apimod)
+    rec.hook.pytest_xyz()
+    call = rec.popcall("pytest_xyz")
+    assert call._name == "pytest_xyz"
+
+def test_functional(testdir, linecomp):
+    reprec = testdir.inline_runsource("""
+        import py
+        from pytest._core import HookRelay, Registry
+        pytest_plugins="pytester"
+        def test_func(_pytest):
+            class ApiClass:
+                def pytest_xyz(self, arg):  "x"
+            hook = HookRelay([ApiClass], Registry())
+            rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(hook)
+            class Plugin:
+                def pytest_xyz(self, arg):
+                    return arg + 1
+            rec._registry.register(Plugin())
+            res = rec.hook.pytest_xyz(arg=41)
+            assert res == [42]
+    """)
+    reprec.assertoutcome(passed=1)