diff --git a/lib/bb/codeparser.py b/lib/bb/codeparser.py
index cd39409434..92ed31fa5f 100644
--- a/lib/bb/codeparser.py
+++ b/lib/bb/codeparser.py
@@ -256,19 +256,18 @@ class PythonParser():
     def visit_Call(self, node):
         name = self.called_node_name(node.func)
         if name and (name.endswith(self.getvars) or name.endswith(self.getvarflags) or name in self.containsfuncs or name in self.containsanyfuncs):
-            if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Constant) and isinstance(node.args[0].value, str):
-                varname = node.args[0].value
-                if name in self.containsfuncs and isinstance(node.args[1], ast.Str):
+            if (varname := bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[0])) is not None:
+                if name in self.containsfuncs and bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[1]) is not None:
                     if varname not in self.contains:
                         self.contains[varname] = set()
-                    self.contains[varname].add(node.args[1].s)
-                elif name in self.containsanyfuncs and isinstance(node.args[1], ast.Str):
+                    self.contains[varname].add(node.args[1].value)
+                elif name in self.containsanyfuncs and bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[1]) is not None:
                     if varname not in self.contains:
                         self.contains[varname] = set()
-                    self.contains[varname].update(node.args[1].s.split())
+                    self.contains[varname].update(node.args[1].value.split())
                 elif name.endswith(self.getvarflags):
-                    if isinstance(node.args[1], ast.Str):
-                        self.references.add('%s[%s]' % (varname, node.args[1].s))
+                    if bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[1]) is not None:
+                        self.references.add('%s[%s]' % (varname, node.args[1].value))
                     else:
                         self.warn(node.func, node.args[1])
                 else:
@@ -276,8 +275,7 @@ class PythonParser():
             else:
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
         elif name and name.endswith(".expand"):
-            if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Str):
-                value = node.args[0].s
+            if (value := bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[0])) is not None:
                 d = bb.data.init()
                 parser = d.expandWithRefs(value, self.name)
                 self.references |= parser.references
@@ -287,8 +285,8 @@ class PythonParser():
                         self.contains[varname] = set()
                     self.contains[varname] |= parser.contains[varname]
         elif name in self.execfuncs:
-            if isinstance(node.args[0], ast.Str):
-                self.var_execs.add(node.args[0].s)
+            if bb.utils.ast_node_str_value(node.args[0]) is not None:
+                self.var_execs.add(node.args[0].value)
             else:
                 self.warn(node.func, node.args[0])
         elif name and isinstance(node.func, (ast.Name, ast.Attribute)):
diff --git a/lib/bb/utils.py b/lib/bb/utils.py
index b401fa5ec7..0ac304163c 100644
--- a/lib/bb/utils.py
+++ b/lib/bb/utils.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import re, fcntl, os, string, stat, shutil, time
 import sys
 import errno
 import logging
+import ast
 import bb
 import bb.msg
 import locale
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ import random
 import socket
 import struct
 import tempfile
+from typing import Optional
 from subprocess import getstatusoutput
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from ctypes import cdll
@@ -1863,3 +1865,11 @@ def lock_timeout(lock):
         yield held
     finally:
         lock.release()
+
+def ast_node_str_value(node: ast.AST) -> Optional[str]:
+    """
+    Returns node value if it is an `ast.Constant` str; None otherwise
+    """
+    if isinstance(node, ast.Constant) and isinstance(node.value, str):
+        return node.value
+    return None