diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index 8ece168..a275120 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 environment:
   matrix:
   - TOXENV: "py27-pytestlatest"
-  - TOXENV: "py34-pytestlatest"
   - TOXENV: "py35-pytestlatest"
   - TOXENV: "py36-pytestlatest"
   - TOXENV: "py37-pytestlatest"
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 9bd71da..04d0ce3 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 repos:
 -   repo: https://github.com/ambv/black
-    rev: 18.6b4
+    rev: 19.10b0
     hooks:
     -   id: black
         args: [--safe, --quiet]
         language_version: python3.7
 -   repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
-    rev: v1.3.0
+    rev: v2.4.0
     hooks:
     -   id: trailing-whitespace
     -   id: end-of-file-fixer
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index ed01656..3b25db0 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ jobs:
       env: TOXENV=py27-pytestlatest
 
     - stage: test
-      python: "3.4"
-      env: TOXENV=py34-pytestlatest
-    - python: "3.5"
+      python: "3.5"
       env: TOXENV=py35-pytestlatest
     - python: "3.6"
       env: TOXENV=py36-pytestlatest
diff --git a/changelog/475.removal b/changelog/475.removal
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60e26e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/475.removal
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Drop support for EOL Python 3.4.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e50898f..3eac3be 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ setup(
         "pytest11": ["xdist = xdist.plugin", "xdist.looponfail = xdist.looponfail"]
     },
     zip_safe=False,
-    python_requires=">=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*",
+    python_requires=">=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*, !=3.4.*",
     install_requires=install_requires,
     setup_requires=["setuptools_scm"],
     classifiers=[
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ setup(
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 2",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
diff --git a/src/xdist/dsession.py b/src/xdist/dsession.py
index 04e9f13..7ac5f57 100644
--- a/src/xdist/dsession.py
+++ b/src/xdist/dsession.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class DSession(object):
         """
         self.config.hook.pytest_testnodedown(node=node, error=None)
         if node.workeroutput["exitstatus"] == 2:  # keyboard-interrupt
-            self.shouldstop = "%s received keyboard-interrupt" % (node,)
+            self.shouldstop = "{} received keyboard-interrupt".format(node)
             self.worker_errordown(node, "keyboard-interrupt")
             return
         if node in self.sched.nodes:
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class DSession(object):
         # XXX count no of failures and retry N times
         runner = self.config.pluginmanager.getplugin("runner")
         fspath = nodeid.split("::")[0]
-        msg = "worker %r crashed while running %r" % (worker.gateway.id, nodeid)
+        msg = "worker {!r} crashed while running {!r}".format(worker.gateway.id, nodeid)
         rep = runner.TestReport(
             nodeid, (fspath, None, fspath), (), "failed", msg, "???"
         )
@@ -351,7 +351,9 @@ class TerminalDistReporter(object):
 
     def getstatus(self):
         if self.config.option.verbose >= 0:
-            parts = ["%s %s" % (spec.id, self._status[spec.id]) for spec in self._specs]
+            parts = [
+                "{} {}".format(spec.id, self._status[spec.id]) for spec in self._specs
+            ]
             return " / ".join(parts)
         else:
             return "bringing up nodes..."
@@ -386,14 +388,16 @@ class TerminalDistReporter(object):
     def pytest_testnodeready(self, node):
         if self.config.option.verbose > 0:
             d = node.workerinfo
-            infoline = "[%s] Python %s" % (d["id"], d["version"].replace("\n", " -- "))
+            infoline = "[{}] Python {}".format(
+                d["id"], d["version"].replace("\n", " -- ")
+            )
             self.rewrite(infoline, newline=True)
         self.setstatus(node.gateway.spec, "ok")
 
     def pytest_testnodedown(self, node, error):
         if not error:
             return
-        self.write_line("[%s] node down: %s" % (node.gateway.id, error))
+        self.write_line("[{}] node down: {}".format(node.gateway.id, error))
 
 
 def get_default_max_worker_restart(config):
diff --git a/src/xdist/looponfail.py b/src/xdist/looponfail.py
index 65813b7..7f01ad6 100644
--- a/src/xdist/looponfail.py
+++ b/src/xdist/looponfail.py
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def repr_pytest_looponfailinfo(failreports, rootdirs):
                 tr.line(report, red=True)
     tr.sep("#", "waiting for changes", bold=True)
     for rootdir in rootdirs:
-        tr.line("### Watching:   %s" % (rootdir,), bold=True)
+        tr.line("### Watching:   {}".format(rootdir), bold=True)
 
 
 def init_worker_session(channel, args, option_dict):
diff --git a/src/xdist/scheduler/loadscope.py b/src/xdist/scheduler/loadscope.py
index 426d340..6b50a48 100644
--- a/src/xdist/scheduler/loadscope.py
+++ b/src/xdist/scheduler/loadscope.py
@@ -358,12 +358,12 @@ class LoadScopeScheduling(object):
         extra_nodes = len(self.nodes) - len(self.workqueue)
 
         if extra_nodes > 0:
-            self.log("Shuting down {0} nodes".format(extra_nodes))
+            self.log("Shuting down {} nodes".format(extra_nodes))
 
             for _ in range(extra_nodes):
                 unused_node, assigned = self.assigned_work.popitem(last=True)
 
-                self.log("Shuting down unused node {0}".format(unused_node))
+                self.log("Shuting down unused node {}".format(unused_node))
                 unused_node.shutdown()
 
         # Assign initial workload
diff --git a/src/xdist/workermanage.py b/src/xdist/workermanage.py
index 5f30edf..af5241f 100644
--- a/src/xdist/workermanage.py
+++ b/src/xdist/workermanage.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class NodeManager(object):
         for root in candidates:
             root = py.path.local(root).realpath()
             if not root.check():
-                raise pytest.UsageError("rsyncdir doesn't exist: %r" % (root,))
+                raise pytest.UsageError("rsyncdir doesn't exist: {!r}".format(root))
             if root not in roots:
                 roots.append(root)
         return roots
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class HostRSync(execnet.RSync):
         if self._verbose:
             path = os.path.basename(self._sourcedir) + "/" + modified_rel_path
             remotepath = gateway.spec.chdir
-            print("%s:%s <= %s" % (gateway.spec, remotepath, path))
+            print("{}:{} <= {}".format(gateway.spec, remotepath, path))
 
 
 def make_reltoroot(roots, args):
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ def make_reltoroot(roots, args):
                 parts[0] = root.basename + "/" + x
                 break
         else:
-            raise ValueError("arg %s not relative to an rsync root" % (arg,))
+            raise ValueError("arg {} not relative to an rsync root".format(arg))
         result.append(splitcode.join(parts))
     return result
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class WorkerController(object):
             py.log.setconsumer(self.log._keywords, None)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "<%s %s>" % (self.__class__.__name__, self.gateway.id)
+        return "<{} {}>".format(self.__class__.__name__, self.gateway.id)
 
     @property
     def shutting_down(self):
@@ -293,11 +293,11 @@ class WorkerController(object):
 
     def sendcommand(self, name, **kwargs):
         """ send a named parametrized command to the other side. """
-        self.log("sending command %s(**%s)" % (name, kwargs))
+        self.log("sending command {}(**{})".format(name, kwargs))
         self.channel.send((name, kwargs))
 
     def notify_inproc(self, eventname, **kwargs):
-        self.log("queuing %s(**%s)" % (eventname, kwargs))
+        self.log("queuing {}(**{})".format(eventname, kwargs))
         self.putevent((eventname, kwargs))
 
     def process_from_remote(self, eventcall):  # noqa too complex
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ class WorkerController(object):
                 return
             eventname, kwargs = eventcall
             if eventname in ("collectionstart",):
-                self.log("ignoring %s(%s)" % (eventname, kwargs))
+                self.log("ignoring {}({})".format(eventname, kwargs))
             elif eventname == "workerready":
                 self.notify_inproc(eventname, node=self, **kwargs)
             elif eventname == "workerfinished":
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class WorkerController(object):
                     item=kwargs["item"],
                 )
             else:
-                raise ValueError("unknown event: %s" % (eventname,))
+                raise ValueError("unknown event: {}".format(eventname))
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             # should not land in receiver-thread
             raise
diff --git a/testing/test_remote.py b/testing/test_remote.py
index c9c4e30..81d8153 100644
--- a/testing/test_remote.py
+++ b/testing/test_remote.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class EventCall:
         self.name, self.kwargs = eventcall
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return "<EventCall %s(**%s)>" % (self.name, self.kwargs)
+        return "<EventCall {}(**{})>".format(self.name, self.kwargs)
 
 
 class WorkerSetup:
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class WorkerSetup:
             ev = EventCall(data)
             if name is None or ev.name == name:
                 return ev
-            print("skipping %s" % (ev,))
+            print("skipping {}".format(ev))
 
     def sendcommand(self, name, **kwargs):
         self.slp.sendcommand(name, **kwargs)
diff --git a/testing/test_slavemanage.py b/testing/test_slavemanage.py
index c15d70f..47d2cba 100644
--- a/testing/test_slavemanage.py
+++ b/testing/test_slavemanage.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class TestNodeManager:
         # assert nodemanager.config.topdir == source == config.topdir
         nodemanager.makegateways()
         nodemanager.rsync_roots()
-        p, = nodemanager.gwmanager.multi_exec(
+        (p,) = nodemanager.gwmanager.multi_exec(
             "import os ; channel.send(os.getcwd())"
         ).receive_each()
         p = py.path.local(p)
@@ -269,5 +269,5 @@ class TestNodeManager:
         reprec = testdir.inline_run(
             "-d", "--rsyncdir=%s" % testdir.tmpdir, "--tx", specssh, testdir.tmpdir
         )
-        rep, = reprec.getreports("pytest_runtest_logreport")
+        (rep,) = reprec.getreports("pytest_runtest_logreport")
         assert rep.passed
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3a52a95..98e0bd1 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [tox]
 envlist=
   linting
-  py{27,34,35,36,37,38}-pytestlatest
+  py{27,35,36,37,38}-pytestlatest
   py38-pytest{master,features}
 
 [testenv]