diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
index 8559858f04..f49f71cf71 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def fire_class_handlers(event, d):
         event.data = d
         if type(h).__name__ == "code":
             locals = {"e": event}
-            exec h in bb.utils._context, locals
+            bb.utils.simple_exec(h, locals)
             bb.utils.better_eval("tmpHandler(e)", locals)
         else:
             h(event)
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
index 50e9402a2b..2e3937ec12 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
@@ -222,6 +222,9 @@ def better_exec(code, context, text, realfile):
         
         raise
 
+def simple_exec(code, context):
+    exec code in _context, context
+
 def better_eval(source, locals):
     return eval(source, _context, locals)