diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
index f8acacd80d1..7722258b7e8 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ def register(name, handler, mask=None, filename=None, lineno=None, data=None):
         # handle string containing python code
         if isinstance(handler, str):
             tmp = "def %s(e, d):\n%s" % (name, handler)
+            # Inject empty lines to make code match lineno in filename
+            tmp = "\n" * (lineno-1) + tmp
             try:
                 code = bb.methodpool.compile_cache(tmp)
                 if not code: