diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py b/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
index b4f998a5bc..c7fc3cfc41 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
@@ -78,12 +78,15 @@ def exec_fakeroot(d, cmd, **kwargs):
     """Run a command under fakeroot (pseudo, in fact) so that it picks up the appropriate file permissions"""
     # Grab the command and check it actually exists
     fakerootcmd = d.getVar('FAKEROOTCMD')
+    fakerootenv = d.getVar('FAKEROOTENV')
+    exec_fakeroot_no_d(fakerootcmd, fakerootenv, cmd, kwargs)
+
+def exec_fakeroot_no_d(fakerootcmd, fakerootenv, cmd, **kwargs):
     if not os.path.exists(fakerootcmd):
         logger.error('pseudo executable %s could not be found - have you run a build yet? pseudo-native should install this and if you have run any build then that should have been built')
         return 2
     # Set up the appropriate environment
     newenv = dict(os.environ)
-    fakerootenv = d.getVar('FAKEROOTENV')
     for varvalue in fakerootenv.split():
         if '=' in varvalue:
             splitval = varvalue.split('=', 1)