diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/codeparser.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/codeparser.py
index 0f3d646cc4..77156136f8 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/codeparser.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/codeparser.py
@@ -155,40 +155,6 @@ class PythonParser():
     expands = ("d.expand", "bb.data.expand", "data.expand")
     execfuncs = ("bb.build.exec_func", "bb.build.exec_task")
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _compare_name(cls, strparts, node):
-        """Given a sequence of strings representing a python name,
-        where the last component is the actual Name and the prior
-        elements are Attribute nodes, determine if the supplied node
-        matches.
-        """
-
-        if not strparts:
-            return True
-
-        current, rest = strparts[0], strparts[1:]
-        if isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
-            if current == node.attr:
-                return cls._compare_name(rest, node.value)
-        elif isinstance(node, ast.Name):
-            if current == node.id:
-                return True
-        return False
-
-    @classmethod
-    def compare_name(cls, value, node):
-        """Convenience function for the _compare_node method, which
-        can accept a string (which is split by '.' for you), or an
-        iterable of strings, in which case it checks to see if any of
-        them match, similar to isinstance.
-        """
-
-        if isinstance(value, basestring):
-            return cls._compare_name(tuple(reversed(value.split("."))),
-                                        node)
-        else:
-            return any(cls.compare_name(item, node) for item in value)
-
     @classmethod
     def warn(cls, func, arg):
         """Warn about calls of bitbake APIs which pass a non-literal
@@ -206,39 +172,41 @@ class PythonParser():
                             "not a literal", funcstr, argstr)
 
     def visit_Call(self, node):
-        if self.compare_name(self.getvars, node.func):
+        name = self.called_node_name(node.func)
+        if name in self.getvars:
             if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Str):
                 self.var_references.add(node.args[0].s)
             else:
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
-        elif self.compare_name(self.expands, node.func):
+        elif name in self.expands:
             if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Str):
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
                 self.var_expands.add(node.args[0].s)
             elif isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Call) and \
-                    self.compare_name(self.getvars, node.args[0].func):
+                 self.called_node_name(node.args[0].func) in self.getvars:
                 pass
             else:
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
-        elif self.compare_name(self.execfuncs, node.func):
+        elif name in self.execfuncs:
             if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Str):
                 self.var_execs.add(node.args[0].s)
             else:
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
-        elif isinstance(node.func, ast.Name):
-            self.execs.add(node.func.id)
-        elif isinstance(node.func, ast.Attribute):
-            # We must have a qualified name.  Therefore we need
-            # to walk the chain of 'Attribute' nodes to determine
-            # the qualification.
-            attr_node = node.func.value
-            identifier = node.func.attr
-            while isinstance(attr_node, ast.Attribute):
-                identifier = attr_node.attr + "." + identifier
-                attr_node = attr_node.value
-            if isinstance(attr_node, ast.Name):
-                identifier = attr_node.id + "." + identifier
-            self.execs.add(identifier)
+        elif name and isinstance(node.func, (ast.Name, ast.Attribute)):
+            self.execs.add(name)
+
+    def called_node_name(self, node):
+        """Given a called node, return its original string form"""
+        components = []
+        while node:
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
+                components.append(node.attr)
+                node = node.value
+            elif isinstance(node, ast.Name):
+                components.append(node.id)
+                return '.'.join(reversed(components))
+            else:
+                break
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.var_references = set()