diff --git a/test/test_maxima.py b/test/test_maxima.py
index a2ec028e7968a7c97267b43196b0639904f8ea5c..7dcfa2e580865ee91697a22d1d35f5571ecf4114 100644
--- a/test/test_maxima.py
+++ b/test/test_maxima.py
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ def test_kernel():
     knl.shutdown()
 
 
-def pytest_funcarg__knl(request):
+@pytest.fixture
+def knl(request):
     pytest.importorskip("pexpect")
 
     knl = MaximaKernel()