diff --git a/_pytest/compat.py b/_pytest/compat.py
index d278b89cd44..a5d2e2be1f9 100644
--- a/_pytest/compat.py
+++ b/_pytest/compat.py
@@ -227,6 +227,13 @@ def _is_unittest_unexpected_success_a_failure():
     return sys.version_info >= (3, 4)
 
 
+if hasattr(inspect, 'isawaitable'):
+    isawaitable = inspect.isawaitable
+else:
+    def isawaitable(f):
+        return False
+
+
 if _PY3:
     def safe_str(v):
         """returns v as string"""
diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index e46f2f1bcfb..13853114ef8 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     isclass, isfunction, is_generator, _escape_strings,
     REGEX_TYPE, STRING_TYPES, NoneType, NOTSET,
     get_real_func, getfslineno, safe_getattr,
-    getlocation, enum,
+    getlocation, enum, isawaitable,
 )
 
 cutdir1 = py.path.local(pluggy.__file__.rstrip("oc"))
@@ -151,7 +151,11 @@ def pytest_pyfunc_call(pyfuncitem):
         testargs = {}
         for arg in pyfuncitem._fixtureinfo.argnames:
             testargs[arg] = funcargs[arg]
-        testfunction(**testargs)
+        testreturn = testfunction(**testargs)
+        if isawaitable(testreturn):
+            import asyncio
+            loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+            loop.run_until_complete(testreturn)
     return True
 
 def pytest_collect_file(path, parent):
diff --git a/testing/test_async.py b/testing/test_async.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8693e7a2f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/test_async.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.version_info < (3, 5), reason='async syntax available in Python 3.5+')
+def test_async_function(testdir):
+    testdir.makepyfile("""
+        async def test_async_function_py35():
+            assert False
+    """)
+    # avoid importing asyncio into pytest's own process, which in turn imports logging (#8)
+    result = testdir.runpytest_subprocess()
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(['*1 failed*'])