diff --git a/_pytest/config.py b/_pytest/config.py
index b75f7908254..a6fe4432273 100644
--- a/_pytest/config.py
+++ b/_pytest/config.py
@@ -926,11 +926,12 @@ def pytest_cmdline_parse(self, pluginmanager, args):
         return self
 
     def notify_exception(self, excinfo, option=None):
-        if option and option.fulltrace:
+        if getattr(option, 'fulltrace', False):
             style = "long"
         else:
             style = "native"
-        excrepr = excinfo.getrepr(funcargs=True,
+        excrepr = excinfo.getrepr(
+            funcargs=True,
             showlocals=getattr(option, 'showlocals', False),
             style=style,
         )
@@ -938,7 +939,7 @@ def notify_exception(self, excinfo, option=None):
                                              excinfo=excinfo)
         if not py.builtin.any(res):
             for line in str(excrepr).split("\n"):
-                sys.stderr.write("INTERNALERROR> %s\n" %line)
+                sys.stderr.write("INTERNALERROR> %s\n" % line)
                 sys.stderr.flush()
 
     def cwd_relative_nodeid(self, nodeid):
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index debda79ca34..5a3827908c7 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ def test_root_conftest_syntax_error(self, testdir):
         result.stderr.fnmatch_lines(["*raise SyntaxError*"])
         assert result.ret != 0
 
-    def test_early_hook_error_issue38_1(self, testdir):
+    def test_early_hook_error_issue38_1(self, pytestconfig, testdir):
+        if getattr(pytestconfig, 'slaveinput', False):
+            pytest.xfail("xdist breaks exception notification, issue #2321")
         testdir.makeconftest("""
             def pytest_sessionstart():
                 0 / 0