diff --git a/_pytest/core.py b/_pytest/core.py
index 04752dd71..d871e7418 100644
--- a/_pytest/core.py
+++ b/_pytest/core.py
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ class MultiCall:
     def __init__(self, methods, kwargs, firstresult=False):
         self.methods = list(methods)
         self.kwargs = kwargs
+        self.kwargs["__multicall__"] = self
         self.results = []
         self.firstresult = firstresult
 
@@ -302,11 +303,12 @@ class MultiCall:
     def execute(self):
         next_finalizers = []
         try:
+            all_kwargs = self.kwargs
             while self.methods:
                 method = self.methods.pop()
-                kwargs = self.getkwargs(method)
+                args = [all_kwargs[argname] for argname in varnames(method)]
                 if hasattr(method, "hookwrapper"):
-                    it = method(**kwargs)
+                    it = method(*args)
                     next = getattr(it, "next", None)
                     if next is None:
                         next = getattr(it, "__next__", None)
@@ -316,7 +318,7 @@ class MultiCall:
                     res = next()
                     next_finalizers.append((method, next))
                 else:
-                    res = method(**kwargs)
+                    res = method(*args)
                 if res is not None:
                     self.results.append(res)
                     if self.firstresult:
@@ -334,16 +336,6 @@ class MultiCall:
                                 "wrapper contain more than one yield")
 
 
-    def getkwargs(self, method):
-        kwargs = {}
-        for argname in varnames(method):
-            try:
-                kwargs[argname] = self.kwargs[argname]
-            except KeyError:
-                if argname == "__multicall__":
-                    kwargs[argname] = self
-        return kwargs
-
 def varnames(func):
     """ return argument name tuple for a function, method, class or callable.
 
@@ -371,12 +363,17 @@ def varnames(func):
         x = rawcode.co_varnames[ismethod:rawcode.co_argcount]
     except AttributeError:
         x = ()
+    else:
+        defaults = func.__defaults__
+        if defaults:
+            x = x[:-len(defaults)]
     try:
         cache["_varnames"] = x
     except TypeError:
         pass
     return x
 
+
 class HookRelay:
     def __init__(self, hookspecs, pm, prefix="pytest_"):
         if not isinstance(hookspecs, list):
diff --git a/_pytest/hookspec.py b/_pytest/hookspec.py
index 6d1420740..0cc59f259 100644
--- a/_pytest/hookspec.py
+++ b/_pytest/hookspec.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # generic runtest related hooks
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-def pytest_itemstart(item, node=None):
+def pytest_itemstart(item, node):
     """ (deprecated, use pytest_runtest_logstart). """
 
 def pytest_runtest_protocol(item, nextitem):
diff --git a/testing/test_core.py b/testing/test_core.py
index 018532cc2..2fd7ace10 100644
--- a/testing/test_core.py
+++ b/testing/test_core.py
@@ -436,6 +436,11 @@ def test_varnames():
     assert varnames(A().f) == ('y',)
     assert varnames(B()) == ('z',)
 
+def test_varnames_default():
+    def f(x, y=3):
+        pass
+    assert varnames(f) == ("x",)
+
 def test_varnames_class():
     class C:
         def __init__(self, x):
@@ -494,12 +499,10 @@ class TestMultiCall:
             return x + z
         reslist = MultiCall([f], dict(x=23, y=24)).execute()
         assert reslist == [24]
-        reslist = MultiCall([f], dict(x=23, z=2)).execute()
-        assert reslist == [25]
 
     def test_tags_call_error(self):
         multicall = MultiCall([lambda x: x], {})
-        pytest.raises(TypeError, multicall.execute)
+        pytest.raises(KeyError, multicall.execute)
 
     def test_call_subexecute(self):
         def m(__multicall__):