diff --git a/_pytest/nose.py b/_pytest/nose.py
index cde916400..ffa186923 100644
--- a/_pytest/nose.py
+++ b/_pytest/nose.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def pytest_make_collect_report(collector):
 
 def call_optional(obj, name):
     method = getattr(obj, name, None)
-    if method is not None and not hasattr(method, "_pytestfixturefunction"):
+    if method is not None and not hasattr(method, "_pytestfixturefunction") and callable(method):
         # If there's any problems allow the exception to raise rather than
         # silently ignoring them
         method()
diff --git a/testing/test_nose.py b/testing/test_nose.py
index 933b350ab..1d80e241b 100644
--- a/testing/test_nose.py
+++ b/testing/test_nose.py
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ def test_setup_func_with_setup_decorator():
     assert not l
 
 
+def test_setup_func_not_callable():
+    from _pytest.nose import call_optional
+    class A:
+        f = 1
+    call_optional(A(), "f")
+
 def test_nose_setup_func(testdir):
     p = testdir.makepyfile("""
         from nose.tools import with_setup