diff --git a/testing/python/fixture.py b/testing/python/fixture.py
index 023a40d8432..6d2bb663b6c 100644
--- a/testing/python/fixture.py
+++ b/testing/python/fixture.py
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ def test_request_garbage(self, testdir):
             """
             import sys
             import pytest
-            from _pytest.compat import safe_str
+            from _pytest.fixtures import PseudoFixtureDef
             import gc
 
             @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ def something(request):
 
                     gc.collect()
                     leaked_types = sum(1 for _ in gc.garbage
-                                       if 'PseudoFixtureDef' in safe_str(_))
+                                       if isinstance(_, PseudoFixtureDef))
 
                     gc.garbage[:] = []