diff --git a/codeflash/context/unused_definition_remover.py b/codeflash/context/unused_definition_remover.py
index 8c1629986..4d91c3fd0 100644
--- a/codeflash/context/unused_definition_remover.py
+++ b/codeflash/context/unused_definition_remover.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from codeflash.discovery.functions_to_optimize import FunctionToOptimize
-    from codeflash.models.models import CodeOptimizationContext, FunctionParent, FunctionSource
+    from codeflash.models.models import CodeOptimizationContext, FunctionSource
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -615,23 +615,29 @@ def _analyze_imports_in_optimized_code(
 def find_target_node(
     root: ast.AST, function_to_optimize: FunctionToOptimize
 ) -> Optional[ast.FunctionDef | ast.AsyncFunctionDef]:
-    def _find(node: ast.AST, parents: list[FunctionParent]) -> Optional[ast.FunctionDef | ast.AsyncFunctionDef]:
-        if not parents:
-            for child in getattr(node, "body", []):
-                if (
-                    isinstance(child, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef))
-                    and child.name == function_to_optimize.function_name
-                ):
-                    return child
+    parents = function_to_optimize.parents
+    node = root
+    for parent in parents:
+        # Fast loop: directly look for the matching ClassDef in node.body
+        body = getattr(node, "body", None)
+        if not body:
             return None
-
-        parent = parents[0]
-        for child in getattr(node, "body", []):
+        for child in body:
             if isinstance(child, ast.ClassDef) and child.name == parent.name:
-                return _find(child, parents[1:])
-        return None
+                node = child
+                break
+        else:
+            return None
 
-    return _find(root, function_to_optimize.parents)
+    # Now node is either the root or the target parent class; look for function
+    body = getattr(node, "body", None)
+    if not body:
+        return None
+    target_name = function_to_optimize.function_name
+    for child in body:
+        if isinstance(child, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)) and child.name == target_name:
+            return child
+    return None
 
 
 def detect_unused_helper_functions(