diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index d1df711d40..1fda40dd41 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -516,6 +516,8 @@ class BBCooker:
             fn = runlist[0][3]
         else:
             envdata = self.data
+            data.expandKeys(envdata)
+            parse.ast.runAnonFuncs(envdata)
 
         if fn:
             try:
@@ -530,9 +532,6 @@ class BBCooker:
             self.data.inchistory.emit(env)
             logger.plain(env.getvalue())
 
-        data.expandKeys(envdata)
-        parse.ast.runAnonFuncs(envdata)
-
         # emit variables and shell functions
         with closing(StringIO()) as env:
             data.emit_env(env, envdata, True)