diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index cdcc51b9e..3ca1ecb12 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ class Config(object):
             usage="usage: %prog [options] [query] [filenames of tests]")
         self.conftest = Conftest()
         self._initialized = False
-        self._overwrite_dict = {}
 
     def parse(self, args): 
         """ parse cmdline arguments into this config object. 
@@ -127,8 +126,8 @@ class Config(object):
             conftest modules found during command line parsing. 
         """
         try:
-            return self._overwrite_dict[name]
-        except KeyError:
+            return getattr(self.option, name)
+        except AttributeError:
             return self.conftest.rget(name, path)
 
     def initsession(self):
@@ -186,11 +185,6 @@ class Config(object):
         finally: 
             config_per_process = py.test.config = oldconfig 
 
-    def _overwrite(self, name, value):
-        """ this is used from tests to overwrite values irrespectives of conftests.
-        """
-        self._overwrite_dict[name] = value
-
     def make_repr(self, conftestnames, optnames=None): 
         """ return a marshallable representation 
             of conftest and cmdline options. 
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_master.py b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_master.py
index c4884d482..fb7566eba 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_master.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_master.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def setup_module(mod):
     mod.tmpdir = tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp(mod.__name__)
     # to avoid rsyncing
     config = py.test.config._reparse([tmpdir])
-    config._overwrite('dist_taskspernode', 10)
+    config.option.dist_taskspernode = 10 
     mod.rootcol = config._getcollector(tmpdir)
 
 class DummyGateway(object):
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_config.py b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
index e1e2db068..4434b5881 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def test_config_overwrite():
     o.ensure("conftest.py").write("x=1")
     config = py.test.config._reparse([str(o)])
     assert config.getvalue('x') == 1
-    config._overwrite('x', 2)
+    config.option.x = 2
     assert config.getvalue('x') == 2
     config = py.test.config._reparse([str(o)])
     assert config.getvalue('x') == 1