diff --git a/ate/exception.py b/ate/exception.py
index 53b91138..92df5887 100644
--- a/ate/exception.py
+++ b/ate/exception.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 #coding: utf-8
+try:
+    FileNotFoundError = FileNotFoundError
+except NameError:
+    FileNotFoundError = IOError
 
 class MyBaseError(BaseException):
     pass
@@ -14,3 +18,6 @@ class ParseResponseError(MyBaseError):
 
 class ValidationError(MyBaseError):
     pass
+
+class FunctionNotFound(NameError):
+    pass
diff --git a/ate/utils.py b/ate/utils.py
index b795984e..4eb1eb50 100644
--- a/ate/utils.py
+++ b/ate/utils.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import codecs
 import fnmatch
 import hashlib
 import hmac
+import imp
 import importlib
 import json
 import os.path
@@ -260,8 +261,42 @@ def get_imported_module(module_name):
     """
     return importlib.import_module(module_name)
 
+def get_imported_module_from_file(file_path):
+    """ import module from python file path and return imported module
+    """
+
+    if PYTHON_VERSION == 3:
+        imported_module = importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader(
+            'module_name', file_path).load_module()
+    else:
+        # Python 2.7
+        imported_module = imp.load_source('module_name', file_path)
+
+    return imported_module
+
 def filter_module_functions(module):
     """ filter functions from import module
     """
     module_functions_dict = dict(filter(is_function, vars(module).items()))
     return module_functions_dict
+
+def search_conf_function(start_path, func):
+    """ search expected function recursive upward
+    """
+    dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(start_path))
+    target_file = os.path.join(dir_path, "debugtalk.py")
+
+    if os.path.isfile(target_file):
+        imported_module = get_imported_module_from_file(target_file)
+        functions_dict = filter_module_functions(imported_module)
+        if func in functions_dict:
+            return functions_dict[func]
+        else:
+            return search_conf_function(dir_path, func)
+
+    if dir_path == start_path:
+        # system root path
+        err_msg = "{} not found in recursive upward path!".format(func)
+        raise exception.FunctionNotFound(err_msg)
+
+    return search_conf_function(dir_path, func)
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index d033dbdb..697e75c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -225,3 +225,41 @@ class TestUtils(ApiServerUnittest):
             updated_dict,
             {'a': 2, 'b': {'c': 33, 'd': 4, 'e': 5}, 'f': 6, 'g': 7}
         )
+
+    def test_get_imported_module(self):
+        imported_module = utils.get_imported_module("os")
+        self.assertIn("walk", dir(imported_module))
+
+    def test_filter_module_functions(self):
+        imported_module = utils.get_imported_module("ate.utils")
+        self.assertIn("PYTHON_VERSION", dir(imported_module))
+
+        functions_dict = utils.filter_module_functions(imported_module)
+        self.assertIn("filter_module_functions", functions_dict)
+        self.assertNotIn("PYTHON_VERSION", functions_dict)
+
+    def test_get_imported_module_from_file(self):
+        imported_module = utils.get_imported_module_from_file("tests/data/debugtalk.py")
+        self.assertIn("gen_md5", dir(imported_module))
+
+        functions_dict = utils.filter_module_functions(imported_module)
+        self.assertIn("gen_md5", functions_dict)
+        self.assertNotIn("PYTHON_VERSION", functions_dict)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(exception.FileNotFoundError):
+            utils.get_imported_module_from_file("tests/data/debugtalk2.py")
+
+    def test_search_conf_function(self):
+        gen_md5 = utils.search_conf_function("tests/data/demo_binds.yml", "gen_md5")
+        self.assertTrue(utils.is_function(("gen_md5", gen_md5)))
+        self.assertEqual(gen_md5("abc"), "900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72")
+
+        gen_md5 = utils.search_conf_function("tests/data/subfolder/test.yml", "gen_md5")
+        self.assertTrue(utils.is_function(("_", gen_md5)))
+        self.assertEqual(gen_md5("abc"), "900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72")
+
+        with self.assertRaises(exception.FunctionNotFound):
+            utils.search_conf_function("tests/data/subfolder/test.yml", "func_not_exist")
+
+        with self.assertRaises(exception.FunctionNotFound):
+            utils.search_conf_function("/user/local/bin", "gen_md5")