diff --git a/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyPsiUtils.java b/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyPsiUtils.java
index 9588f483e782..36809880d92b 100644
--- a/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyPsiUtils.java
+++ b/python/psi-api/src/com/jetbrains/python/psi/impl/PyPsiUtils.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Find first non-whitespace sibling before given AST node.
+   * Finds first non-whitespace sibling before given AST node.
    */
   @Nullable
   public static ASTNode getPrevNonWhitespaceSibling(@NotNull ASTNode node) {
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Find first sibling that is neither comment, nor whitespace before given element.
+   * Finds first sibling that is neither comment, nor whitespace before given element.
    * @param strict prohibit returning element itself
    */
   @Nullable
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Find first non-whitespace sibling after given AST node.
+   * Finds first non-whitespace sibling after given AST node.
    */
   @Nullable
   public static ASTNode getNextNonWhitespaceSibling(@NotNull ASTNode after) {
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Find first sibling that is neither comment, nor whitespace after given element.
+   * Finds first sibling that is neither comment, nor whitespace after given element.
    * @param strict prohibit returning element itself
    */
   @Nullable
@@ -131,6 +131,30 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
     return PsiTreeUtil.skipSiblingsForward(start, PsiWhiteSpace.class, PsiComment.class);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Finds first token after given element that doesn't consist solely of spaces and is not empty (e.g. error marker).
+   * @param ignoreComments ignore commentaries as well
+   */
+  @Nullable
+  public static PsiElement getNextSignificantLeaf(@Nullable PsiElement element, boolean ignoreComments) {
+    while (element != null && StringUtil.isEmptyOrSpaces(element.getText()) || ignoreComments && element instanceof PsiComment) {
+      element = PsiTreeUtil.nextLeaf(element);
+    }
+    return element;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Finds first token before given element that doesn't consist solely of spaces and is not empty (e.g. error marker).
+   * @param ignoreComments ignore commentaries as well
+   */
+  @Nullable
+  public static PsiElement getPrevSignificantLeaf(@Nullable PsiElement element, boolean ignoreComments) {
+    while (element != null && StringUtil.isEmptyOrSpaces(element.getText()) || ignoreComments && element instanceof PsiComment) {
+      element = PsiTreeUtil.prevLeaf(element);
+    }
+    return element;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Finds the closest comma looking for the next comma first and then for the preceding one.
    */
@@ -436,22 +460,6 @@ public class PyPsiUtils {
     return result;
   }
 
-  @Nullable
-  public static PsiElement getSignificantToTheRight(PsiElement element, final boolean ignoreComments) {
-    while (element != null && StringUtil.isEmptyOrSpaces(element.getText()) || ignoreComments && element instanceof PsiComment) {
-      element = PsiTreeUtil.nextLeaf(element);
-    }
-    return element;
-  }
-
-  @Nullable
-  public static PsiElement getSignificantToTheLeft(PsiElement element, final boolean ignoreComments) {
-    while (element != null && StringUtil.isEmptyOrSpaces(element.getText()) || ignoreComments && element instanceof PsiComment) {
-      element = PsiTreeUtil.prevLeaf(element);
-    }
-    return element;
-  }
-
   public static int findArgumentIndex(PyCallExpression call, PsiElement argument) {
     final PyExpression[] args = call.getArguments();
     for (int i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
diff --git a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/extractmethod/PyExtractMethodHandler.java b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/extractmethod/PyExtractMethodHandler.java
index ac92a559d076..18d4d861e162 100644
--- a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/extractmethod/PyExtractMethodHandler.java
+++ b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/refactoring/extractmethod/PyExtractMethodHandler.java
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ public class PyExtractMethodHandler implements RefactoringActionHandler {
       }
     }
     // Pass comments and whitespaces
-    element1 = PyPsiUtils.getSignificantToTheRight(element1, false);
-    element2 = PyPsiUtils.getSignificantToTheLeft(element2, false);
+    element1 = PyPsiUtils.getNextSignificantLeaf(element1, false);
+    element2 = PyPsiUtils.getPrevSignificantLeaf(element2, false);
     if (element1 == null || element2 == null) {
       CommonRefactoringUtil.showErrorHint(project, editor,
                                           PyBundle.message("refactoring.extract.method.error.bad.selection"),
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public class PyExtractMethodHandler implements RefactoringActionHandler {
 
     // return elements if they are really first and last elements of statements
     if (element1 == PsiTreeUtil.getDeepestFirst(statement1) &&
-        element2 == PyPsiUtils.getSignificantToTheLeft(PsiTreeUtil.getDeepestLast(statement2), !(element2 instanceof PsiComment))) {
+        element2 == PyPsiUtils.getPrevSignificantLeaf(PsiTreeUtil.getDeepestLast(statement2), !(element2 instanceof PsiComment))) {
       return Couple.of(statement1, statement2);
     }
     return null;