diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index 6161ccc00..526fbde16 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -89,20 +89,26 @@ Runner.prototype._runTestWithHooks = function (test) {
 	tests.push(test);
 	tests.push.apply(tests, afterHooks);
 
-	var context = {};
+	// wrapper to allow context to be a primitive value
+	var contextWrapper = {
+		context: {}
+	};
 
 	return eachSeries(tests, function (test) {
-		return this._runTest(test, context);
+		Object.defineProperty(test, 'context', {
+			get: function () {
+				return contextWrapper.context;
+			},
+			set: function (val) {
+				contextWrapper.context = val;
+			}
+		});
+
+		return this._runTest(test);
 	}.bind(this)).catch(noop);
 };
 
-Runner.prototype._runTest = function (test, context) {
-	// shared context (only applies to tests with hooks around them)
-	// set only if `context` is an object (can be index number)
-	if (typeof context === 'object') {
-		test.context = context;
-	}
-
+Runner.prototype._runTest = function (test) {
 	// add test result regardless of state
 	// but on error, don't execute next tests
 	return test.run()
diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
index a8c9dda40..49e618023 100644
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ b/lib/test.js
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ Test.prototype.run = function () {
 		this._timeout = setTimeout(function () {}, TIMEOUT_MAX_VALUE);
 
 		try {
-			var ret = this.fn.call(this.context, this);
+			var ret = this.fn(this);
 
 			if (ret && typeof ret.then === 'function') {
 				ret
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 912ce6fe4..9d33649d3 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -237,6 +237,20 @@ test(t => {
 });
 ```
 
+The context is by default an object, but it can also be directly assigned:
+
+```js
+test.beforeEach(t => {
+	t.context = 'unicorn';
+	t.end();
+});
+
+test(t => {
+	t.is(t.context, 'unicorn');
+	t.end();
+});
+```
+
 ### Custom assertion module
 
 You can use any assertion module instead or in addition to the one that comes with AVA, but you won't be able to use the `.plan()` method, [yet](https://github.com/sindresorhus/ava/issues/25).
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 156069fa9..fd52b4ccc 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -748,30 +748,51 @@ test('hooks - shared context', function (t) {
 	var runner = new Runner();
 
 	runner.addBeforeHook(function (a) {
-		a.is(this.arr, undefined);
-		this.arr = [];
+		a.is(a.context.arr, undefined);
+		a.context.arr = [];
 		a.end();
 	});
 
 	runner.addAfterHook(function (a) {
-		a.is(this.arr, undefined);
+		a.is(a.context.arr, undefined);
 		a.end();
 	});
 
 	runner.addBeforeEachHook(function (a) {
-		this.arr = ['a'];
+		a.context.arr = ['a'];
 		a.end();
 	});
 
 	runner.addTest(function (a) {
-		this.arr.push('b');
-		a.same(this.arr, ['a', 'b']);
+		a.context.arr.push('b');
+		a.same(a.context.arr, ['a', 'b']);
 		a.end();
 	});
 
 	runner.addAfterEachHook(function (a) {
-		this.arr.push('c');
-		a.same(this.arr, ['a', 'b', 'c']);
+		a.context.arr.push('c');
+		a.same(a.context.arr, ['a', 'b', 'c']);
+		a.end();
+	});
+
+	runner.run().then(function () {
+		t.is(runner.stats.failCount, 0);
+		t.end();
+	});
+});
+
+test('hooks - shared context of any type', function (t) {
+	t.plan(1);
+
+	var runner = new Runner();
+
+	runner.addBeforeEachHook(function (a) {
+		a.context = 'foo';
+		a.end();
+	});
+
+	runner.addTest(function (a) {
+		a.is(a.context, 'foo');
 		a.end();
 	});