diff --git a/documentation/bin/createDocu.groovy b/documentation/bin/createDocu.groovy
index 1c52b6696..3532c394e 100644
--- a/documentation/bin/createDocu.groovy
+++ b/documentation/bin/createDocu.groovy
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import com.sap.piper.GenerateDocumentation
 import java.util.regex.Matcher
 import groovy.text.StreamingTemplateEngine
 
+import com.sap.piper.MapUtils
+
 //
 // Collects helper functions for rendering the documentation
 //
@@ -375,14 +377,6 @@ class Helper {
         return mappings
     }
 
-    static getValue(Map config, List pPath) {
-        def p = config[pPath.head()]
-        if(pPath.size() == 1) return p // there is no tail
-        if(p in Map) getValue(p, pPath.tail())
-        return null // there is a remaining path which could not be resolved.
-                    // the value we are looking for does not exist.
-    }
-
     static resolveDocuRelevantSteps(GroovyScriptEngine gse, File stepsDir) {
 
         def docuRelevantSteps = []
@@ -641,7 +635,7 @@ def handleStep(stepName, prepareDefaultValuesStep, gse, customDefaults) {
 
         it ->
 
-            def defaultValue = Helper.getValue(defaultConfig, it.tokenize('/'))
+            def defaultValue = MapUtils.getByPath(defaultConfig, it)
 
             def parameterProperties =   [
                 defaultValue: defaultValue,
@@ -676,7 +670,7 @@ def handleStep(stepName, prepareDefaultValuesStep, gse, customDefaults) {
                             [
                                 dependentParameterKey: dependentParameterKey,
                                 key: possibleValue,
-                                value: Helper.getValue(defaultConfig.get(possibleValue), k.tokenize('/'))
+                                value: MapUtils.getByPath(defaultConfig.get(possibleValue), k)
                             ]
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/src/com/sap/piper/MapUtils.groovy b/src/com/sap/piper/MapUtils.groovy
index d3cd32956..657d82215 100644
--- a/src/com/sap/piper/MapUtils.groovy
+++ b/src/com/sap/piper/MapUtils.groovy
@@ -63,6 +63,17 @@ class MapUtils implements Serializable {
         m.putAll(updates)
     }
 
+    static private def getByPath(Map m, def key) {
+        List path = key in CharSequence ? key.tokenize('/') : key
+
+        def value = m.get(path.head())
+
+        if (path.size() == 1) return value
+        if (value in Map) return getByPath(value, path.tail())
+
+        return null
+    }
+
     /*
      * Provides a new map with the same content like the original map.
      * Nested Collections and Maps are copied. Values with are not
diff --git a/test/groovy/com/sap/piper/MapUtilsTest.groovy b/test/groovy/com/sap/piper/MapUtilsTest.groovy
index 6c63ccd14..a7b0415ef 100644
--- a/test/groovy/com/sap/piper/MapUtilsTest.groovy
+++ b/test/groovy/com/sap/piper/MapUtilsTest.groovy
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ package com.sap.piper
 import org.junit.Assert
 import org.junit.Test
 
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat
+
 class MapUtilsTest {
 
     @Test
@@ -51,6 +54,15 @@ class MapUtilsTest {
         assert m == [a: 'replaced', m: [b: 'replaced', c: 'otherString']]
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testGetByPath() {
+        Map m = [trees: [oak: 5, beech :1], flowers:[rose: 23]]
+
+        assertThat(MapUtils.getByPath(m, 'flowers'), is([rose: 23]))
+        assertThat(MapUtils.getByPath(m, 'trees/oak'), is(5))
+        assertThat(MapUtils.getByPath(m, 'trees/palm'), is(null))
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testDeepCopy() {
 
diff --git a/test/groovy/templates/PiperInitRunStageConfigurationTest.groovy b/test/groovy/templates/PiperInitRunStageConfigurationTest.groovy
index c6d2263a1..b12ff1aae 100644
--- a/test/groovy/templates/PiperInitRunStageConfigurationTest.groovy
+++ b/test/groovy/templates/PiperInitRunStageConfigurationTest.groovy
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ stages:
     stepConditions:
       firstStep:
         config: testGeneral
-  testStage2: 
+  testStage2:
     stepConditions:
       secondStep:
         config: testStage
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ stages:
     stepConditions:
       thirdStep:
         config: testStep
-   
+
 '''
             } else {
                 return '''
@@ -155,23 +155,23 @@ stages:
   testStage1:
     stepConditions:
       firstStep:
-        config: 
+        config:
           testGeneral:
             - myValx
-            - myVal1 
-  testStage2: 
+            - myVal1
+  testStage2:
     stepConditions:
       secondStep:
-        config: 
-          testStage: 
+        config:
+          testStage:
             - maValXyz
   testStage3:
     stepConditions:
       thirdStep:
-        config: 
+        config:
           testStep:
             - myVal3
-   
+
 '''
             } else {
                 return '''
@@ -218,18 +218,18 @@ stages:
   testStage1:
     stepConditions:
       firstStep:
-        configKeys: 
+        configKeys:
           - myKey1_1
-          - myKey1_2 
-  testStage2: 
+          - myKey1_2
+  testStage2:
     stepConditions:
       secondStep:
-        configKeys: 
+        configKeys:
           - myKey2_1
   testStage3:
     stepConditions:
       thirdStep:
-        configKeys: 
+        configKeys:
           - myKey3_1
 '''
             } else {
@@ -451,27 +451,4 @@ steps: {}
         assertThat(nullScript.commonPipelineEnvironment.configuration.runStage.Acceptance, is(true))
 
     }
-
-    @Test
-    void testGetConfigValue() {
-
-        def config = [
-            invalidKey: 'invalidValue',
-            stringKey: 'stringValue',
-            listKey: [
-                'listValue1',
-                'listValue2'
-            ],
-            nested: [
-                key: 'nestedValue'
-            ]
-        ]
-
-        assertThat(jsr.step.piperInitRunStageConfiguration.getConfigValue(config, 'stringKey'), is('stringValue'))
-        assertThat(jsr.step.piperInitRunStageConfiguration.getConfigValue(config, 'listKey'), is(['listValue1','listValue2']))
-        assertThat(jsr.step.piperInitRunStageConfiguration.getConfigValue(config, 'nested/key'), is('nestedValue'))
-        assertThat(jsr.step.piperInitRunStageConfiguration.getConfigValue(config, 'invalidKey/key'), is(nullValue()))
-
-        //assertThat(jsr.step.piperInitRunStageConfiguration.getConfigValue(config, 'nested/key'), is('nestedValue'))
-    }
 }
diff --git a/vars/piperInitRunStageConfiguration.groovy b/vars/piperInitRunStageConfiguration.groovy
index c89197c28..6fcf51786 100644
--- a/vars/piperInitRunStageConfiguration.groovy
+++ b/vars/piperInitRunStageConfiguration.groovy
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import com.sap.piper.ConfigurationLoader
 import static com.sap.piper.Prerequisites.checkScript
 
 import com.sap.piper.ConfigurationHelper
+import com.sap.piper.MapUtils
 import groovy.transform.Field
 
 @Field String STEP_NAME = getClass().getName()
@@ -65,27 +66,27 @@ void call(Map parameters = [:]) {
                     case 'config':
                         if (condition.getValue() instanceof Map) {
                             condition.getValue().each {configCondition ->
-                                if (getConfigValue(stepConfig, configCondition.getKey()) in configCondition.getValue()) {
+                                if (MapUtils.getByPath(stepConfig, configCondition.getKey()) in configCondition.getValue()) {
                                     stepActive = true
                                 }
                             }
-                        } else if (getConfigValue(stepConfig, condition.getValue())) {
+                        } else if (MapUtils.getByPath(stepConfig, condition.getValue())) {
                             stepActive = true
                         }
                         break
                     case 'configKeys':
                         if (condition.getValue() instanceof List) {
                             condition.getValue().each {configKey ->
-                                if (getConfigValue(stepConfig, configKey)) {
+                                if (MapUtils.getByPath(stepConfig, configKey)) {
                                     stepActive = true
                                 }
                             }
-                        } else if (getConfigValue(stepConfig, condition.getValue())) {
+                        } else if (MapUtils.getByPath(stepConfig, condition.getValue())) {
                             stepActive = true
                         }
                         break
                     case 'filePatternFromConfig':
-                        def conditionValue = getConfigValue(stepConfig, condition.getValue())
+                        def conditionValue = MapUtils.getByPath(stepConfig, condition.getValue())
                         if (conditionValue && findFiles(glob: conditionValue)) {
                             stepActive = true
                         }
@@ -110,16 +111,3 @@ void call(Map parameters = [:]) {
         echo "[${STEP_NAME}] Debug - Run Step Configuration: ${script.commonPipelineEnvironment.configuration.runStep}"
     }
 }
-
-private def getConfigValue(Map stepConfig, def configKey) {
-    if (stepConfig == null) return null
-
-    List configPath = configKey instanceof String ? configKey.tokenize('/') : configKey
-
-    def configValue = stepConfig[configPath.head()]
-
-    if (configPath.size() == 1) return configValue
-    if (configValue in Map) return getConfigValue(configValue, configPath.tail())
-
-    return null
-}