diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index 24c281d87..623ac93cc 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -226,16 +226,17 @@ class Config(object):
         if self.option.tracedir is not None:
             return py.path.local(self.option.tracedir)
 
-    def maketrace(self, name, flush=False):
+    def maketrace(self, name, flush=True):
         """ return a tracedirectory or None, depending on --tracedir. """
         tracedir = self.gettracedir()
         if tracedir is None:
             return NullTracer()
+        tracedir.ensure(dir=1)
         return Tracer(tracedir.join(name), flush=flush)
 
 class Tracer(object):
     file = None
-    def __init__(self, path, flush=False):
+    def __init__(self, path, flush=True):
         self.file = path.open(mode='w')
         self.flush = flush
        
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_config.py b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
index 9ee16f849..6169bf8eb 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
@@ -202,12 +202,12 @@ class TestSessionAndOptions:
         assert s.find("TestrunStart") != -1
 
     def test_tracedir_tracer(self):
-        tracedir = self.tmpdir.mkdir("tracedir")
+        tracedir = self.tmpdir.join("tracedir")
         config = py.test.config._reparse([self.tmpdir, 
                                           '--tracedir=%s' % tracedir])
         assert config.gettracedir() == tracedir
 
-        trace = config.maketrace("trace1.log", flush=True)
+        trace = config.maketrace("trace1.log") # flush=True by default
         trace("hello", "world")
         class A: pass 
         trace(A())