diff --git a/py/_com.py b/py/_com.py
index 2c26338fc..3404844de 100644
--- a/py/_com.py
+++ b/py/_com.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class MultiCall:
     NONEASRESULT = object()
 
     def __init__(self, methods, *args, **kwargs):
-        self.methods = methods
+        self.methods = methods[:]
         self.args = args 
         self.kwargs = kwargs 
         self.results = []
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ class MultiCall:
     def exclude_other_results(self):
         self._ex1 = True
 
+
 class PyPlugins:
     """
         Manage Plugins: Load plugins and manage calls to plugins. 
@@ -79,7 +80,6 @@ class PyPlugins:
         if plugins is None:
             plugins = []
         self._plugins = plugins
-        self._callbacks = []
 
     def import_module(self, modspec):
         # XXX allow modspec to specify version / lookup 
diff --git a/py/misc/testing/test_com.py b/py/misc/testing/test_com.py
index 1aa8f1d73..b66651f58 100644
--- a/py/misc/testing/test_com.py
+++ b/py/misc/testing/test_com.py
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ from py._com import PyPlugins, MultiCall
 pytest_plugins = "xfail"
 
 class TestMultiCall:
+    def test_uses_copy_of_methods(self):
+        l = [lambda: 42]
+        mc = MultiCall(l)
+        l[:] = []
+        res = mc.execute()
+        return res == 42
+
     def test_call_passing(self):
         class P1:
             def m(self, __call__, x):
diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index e33ae08de..565b019dd 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Config(object):
         self.pytestplugins = pytestplugins
         self._conftest = Conftest(onimport=self._onimportconftest)
         self._setupstate = SetupState() 
+        self._funcarg2maker = {}
 
     def _onimportconftest(self, conftestmodule):
         self.trace("loaded conftestmodule %r" %(conftestmodule,))
@@ -285,7 +286,23 @@ class Config(object):
             roots.append(pydir)
         return roots 
 
-    
+    def register_funcargmaker(self, argname, maker):
+        """ register a setup method for the given argument name. """
+        self._funcarg2maker.setdefault(argname, []).append(maker)
+
+    def _makefuncarg(self, argname, pyfuncitem):
+        makerlist = self._getmakerlist(argname)
+        mcall = py._com.MultiCall(makerlist, pyfuncitem)
+        return mcall.execute(firstresult=True)
+
+    def _getmakerlist(self, argname):
+        makerlist = self._funcarg2maker.get(argname, None)
+        if makerlist is None:
+            msg = "funcarg %r not registered, available are: %s" % (
+                  argname, ", ".join(self._funcarg2maker.keys()))
+            raise KeyError(msg)
+        assert makerlist
+        return makerlist[:]
 #
 # helpers
 #
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_monkeypatch.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_monkeypatch.py
index 8d8f41382..f6a518eb6 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_monkeypatch.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_monkeypatch.py
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import os
 
 class MonkeypatchPlugin:
     """ setattr-monkeypatching with automatical reversal after test. """
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_monkeypatch(self, pyfuncitem):
+    def pytest_configure(self, config):
+        config.register_funcargmaker("monkeypatch", self.argmaker)
+
+    def argmaker(self, pyfuncitem):
         monkeypatch = MonkeyPatch()
         pyfuncitem.addfinalizer(monkeypatch.finalize)
         return monkeypatch
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
index d38e68911..d4f18a3ef 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
@@ -7,21 +7,20 @@ from py.__.test import event
 from py.__.test.config import Config as pytestConfig
 
 class PytesterPlugin:
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_linecomp(self, pyfuncitem):
-        return LineComp()
+    def pytest_configure(self, config):
+        config.register_funcargmaker("linecomp", lambda x: LineComp())
+        config.register_funcargmaker("LineMatcher", lambda x: LineMatcher)
+        config.register_funcargmaker("EventRecorder", lambda x: EventRecorder)
 
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_LineMatcher(self, pyfuncitem):
-        return LineMatcher
+        config.register_funcargmaker("testdir", self.maketestdir)
+        config.register_funcargmaker("eventrecorder", self.makeeventrecorder)
 
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_testdir(self, pyfuncitem):
+    def maketestdir(self, pyfuncitem):
         tmptestdir = TmpTestdir(pyfuncitem)
         pyfuncitem.addfinalizer(tmptestdir.finalize)
         return tmptestdir
  
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_EventRecorder(self, pyfuncitem):
-        return EventRecorder
-
-    def pytest_pyfuncarg_eventrecorder(self, pyfuncitem):
+    def makeeventrecorder(self, pyfuncitem):
         evrec = EventRecorder(py._com.pyplugins)
         pyfuncitem.addfinalizer(lambda: evrec.pyplugins.unregister(evrec))
         return evrec
diff --git a/py/test/pycollect.py b/py/test/pycollect.py
index 57a54a7e7..df16e4d0f 100644
--- a/py/test/pycollect.py
+++ b/py/test/pycollect.py
@@ -375,14 +375,23 @@ class Function(FunctionMixin, py.test.collect.Item):
         return kwargs
 
     def lookup_onearg(self, argname):
-        value = self.config.pytestplugins.call_firstresult(
-            "pytest_pyfuncarg_" + argname, pyfuncitem=self)
+        try:
+            makerlist = self.config._getmakerlist(argname)
+        except KeyError:
+            makerlist = []
+        l = self.config.pytestplugins.listattr("pytest_pyfuncarg_" + argname)
+        makerlist.extend(l)
+        mc = py._com.MultiCall(makerlist, self)
+        #print "mc.methods", mc.methods
+        value = mc.execute(firstresult=True)
         if value is not None:
             return value
         else:
             metainfo = self.repr_metainfo()
             #self.config.bus.notify("pyfuncarg_lookuperror", argname)
-            raise LookupError("funcargument %r not found for: %s" %(argname,metainfo.verboseline()))
+            msg = "funcargument %r not found for: %s" %(argname,metainfo.verboseline())
+            msg += "\n list of makers: %r" %(l,)
+            raise LookupError(msg)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         try:
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_config.py b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
index 25f410d99..bee463fc9 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
@@ -1,5 +1,33 @@
 import py
 
+class TestFuncArgsSetup:
+    def test_register_funcarg_simple(self, testdir):
+        item = testdir.getitem("def test_func(hello): pass")
+        def maker(pyfuncitem):
+            assert item == pyfuncitem
+            return 42 
+        item.config.register_funcargmaker("hello", maker)
+        arg = item.config._makefuncarg("hello", item)
+        assert arg == 42
+
+    def test_register_funcarg_two(self, testdir):
+        item = testdir.getitem("def test_func(hello): pass")
+        def maker1(pyfuncitem):
+            assert item == pyfuncitem
+            return 1
+        def maker2(__call__, pyfuncitem):
+            assert item == pyfuncitem
+            res = __call__.execute(firstresult=True)
+            return res + 1
+        item.config.register_funcargmaker("two", maker1)
+        item.config.register_funcargmaker("two", maker2)
+        arg = item.config._makefuncarg("two", item)
+        assert arg == 2
+
+    def test_register_funcarg_error(self, testdir):
+        item = testdir.getitem("def test_func(hello): pass")
+        config = item.config
+        py.test.raises(KeyError, 'item.config._makefuncarg("notexist", item)')
 
 class TestConfigCmdlineParsing:
     def test_config_cmdline_options(self, testdir):