diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
index 20923b5f08..fa179d8a11 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ def register(name, handler):
                 _handlers[name] = noop
                 return
             env = {}
-            bb.utils.simple_exec(code, env)
+            bb.utils.better_exec(code, env)
             func = bb.utils.better_eval(name, env)
             _handlers[name] = func
         else:
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
index 86f94636b9..b88d5f5b39 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ def finalize(fn, d, variant = None):
     code = []
     for funcname in d.getVar("__BBANONFUNCS") or []:
         code.append("%s(d)" % funcname)
-    bb.utils.simple_exec("\n".join(code), {"d": d})
+    bb.utils.better_exec("\n".join(code), {"d": d})
     bb.data.update_data(d)
 
     tasklist = d.getVar('__BBTASKS') or []
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
index ee4ef73bfc..44a42a0136 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
@@ -218,13 +218,15 @@ def better_compile(text, file, realfile, mode = "exec"):
 
         raise
 
-def better_exec(code, context, text, realfile = "<code>"):
+def better_exec(code, context, text = None, realfile = "<code>", data = None):
     """
     Similiar to better_compile, better_exec will
     print the lines that are responsible for the
     error.
     """
     import bb.parse
+    if not text:
+        text = code
     if not hasattr(code, "co_filename"):
         code = better_compile(code, realfile, realfile)
     try: