diff --git a/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/deviations/Deviations.qll b/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/deviations/Deviations.qll
index 403a5b61c6..99b9a33fe6 100644
--- a/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/deviations/Deviations.qll
+++ b/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/deviations/Deviations.qll
@@ -363,20 +363,23 @@ class DeviationRecord extends XmlElement {
     result.getRelativePath() = getAChild("paths").getAChild("paths-entry").getTextValue()
   }
 
+  private string getADeviationPath0() {
+    if exists(getPathAContainer())
+    then
+      // Use the path, which will be relative to this file, if specified
+      result = getPathAContainer().getRelativePath()
+    else (
+      // Otherwise, if no code identifier was supplied, it applies to the parent container of the
+      // file itself
+      not exists(getCodeIdentifier()) and
+      result = this.getFile().getParentContainer().getRelativePath()
+    )
+  }
+
   /** Gets a path to which this deviation applies. */
   string getADeviationPath() {
     exists(string res |
-      if exists(getPathAContainer())
-      then
-        // Use the path, which will be relative to this file, if specified
-        res = getPathAContainer().getRelativePath()
-      else (
-        // Otherwise, if no code identifier was supplied, it applies to the parent container of the
-        // file itself
-        not exists(getCodeIdentifier()) and
-        res = this.getFile().getParentContainer().getRelativePath()
-      )
-    |
+      res = getADeviationPath0() and
       if res = "" then result = "(root)" else result = res
     )
   }
@@ -384,6 +387,6 @@ class DeviationRecord extends XmlElement {
   cached
   predicate isDeviated(Query query, string deviationPath) {
     query = getQuery() and
-    deviationPath = getADeviationPath()
+    deviationPath = getADeviationPath0()
   }
 }