diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index ac74bc9..d12c29b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 -------
 
 - fix readme display on pypi
+- fix #22: xdist now works if the internal tmpdir plugin is disabled.
 
 
 1.13.1
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index 70052c3..bec87f1 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -522,6 +522,18 @@ def test_issue_594_random_parametrize(testdir):
     ])
 
 
+def test_tmpdir_disabled(testdir):
+    """Test xdist doesn't break if internal tmpdir plugin is disabled (#22).
+    """
+    p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
+        def test_ok():
+            pass
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p1, "-n1", '-p', 'no:tmpdir')
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines("*1 passed*")
+
+
 class TestNodeFailure:
     def test_load_single(self, testdir):
         f = testdir.makepyfile("""
diff --git a/xdist/slavemanage.py b/xdist/slavemanage.py
index b50dab5..7632137 100644
--- a/xdist/slavemanage.py
+++ b/xdist/slavemanage.py
@@ -228,8 +228,9 @@ class SlaveController(object):
         option_dict = vars(self.config.option)
         if spec.popen:
             name = "popen-%s" % self.gateway.id
-            basetemp = self.config._tmpdirhandler.getbasetemp()
-            option_dict['basetemp'] = str(basetemp.join(name))
+            if hasattr(self.config, '_tmpdirhandler'):
+                basetemp = self.config._tmpdirhandler.getbasetemp()
+                option_dict['basetemp'] = str(basetemp.join(name))
         self.config.hook.pytest_configure_node(node=self)
         self.channel = self.gateway.remote_exec(xdist.remote)
         self.channel.send((self.slaveinput, args, option_dict))