diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/AbstractNode.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/AbstractNode.php
index dc13f8bc2..50a59e638 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/AbstractNode.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/AbstractNode.php
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 namespace PHPMD;
 
 use PDepend\Source\AST\AbstractASTArtifact;
+use PDepend\Source\AST\ASTVariable;
 use PHPMD\Node\ASTNode;
 
 /**
@@ -138,6 +139,17 @@ public function findChildrenOfType($type)
         return $nodes;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Searches recursive for all children of this node that are of variable.
+     *
+     * @return ASTVariable[]
+     * @todo Cover by a test.
+     */
+    public function findChildrenOfTypeVariable()
+    {
+        return $this->findChildrenOfType('Variable');
+    }
+
     /**
      * Tests if this node represents the the given type.
      *
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/CleanCode/UndefinedVariable.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/CleanCode/UndefinedVariable.php
index 510e0c2df..091714d88 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/CleanCode/UndefinedVariable.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/CleanCode/UndefinedVariable.php
@@ -72,9 +72,7 @@ public function apply(AbstractNode $node)
             }
         }
 
-        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfType('Variable') as $variable) {
-            /** @var ASTVariable $variable */
-
+        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable() as $variable) {
             if ($this->isSuperGlobal($variable) || $this->isPassedByReference($variable)) {
                 $this->addVariableDefinition($variable);
             } elseif (!$this->checkVariableDefined($variable, $node)) {
@@ -251,7 +249,7 @@ protected function collectAssignments(AbstractCallableNode $node)
             $variable = $assignment->getChild(0);
 
             if ($variable->getNode() instanceof ASTArray) {
-                foreach ($variable->findChildrenOfType('Variable') as $unpackedVariable) {
+                foreach ($variable->findChildrenOfTypeVariable() as $unpackedVariable) {
                     $this->addVariableDefinition($unpackedVariable);
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/CamelCaseVariableName.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/CamelCaseVariableName.php
index 620711f0b..4dbfd87ec 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/CamelCaseVariableName.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/CamelCaseVariableName.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class CamelCaseVariableName extends AbstractRule implements MethodAware, Functio
      */
     public function apply(AbstractNode $node)
     {
-        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfType('Variable') as $variable) {
+        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable() as $variable) {
             if (!$this->isValid($variable)) {
                 $this->addViolation(
                     $node,
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/Superglobals.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/Superglobals.php
index 81224e66d..559b5b14b 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/Superglobals.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Controversial/Superglobals.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class Superglobals extends AbstractRule implements MethodAware, FunctionAware
      */
     public function apply(AbstractNode $node)
     {
-        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfType('Variable') as $variable) {
+        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable() as $variable) {
             if (in_array($variable->getImage(), $this->superglobals)) {
                 $this->addViolation(
                     $node,
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/LongVariable.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/LongVariable.php
index 159aac559..3b26c390e 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/LongVariable.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/LongVariable.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public function apply(AbstractNode $node)
             $this->checkNodeImage($declarator);
         }
 
-        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfType('Variable');
+        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable();
         foreach ($variables as $variable) {
             $this->checkNodeImage($variable);
         }
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/ShortVariable.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/ShortVariable.php
index 29f25e486..b61544882 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/ShortVariable.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/Naming/ShortVariable.php
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ protected function applyNonClass(AbstractNode $node)
             $this->checkNodeImage($declarator);
         }
 
-        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfType('Variable');
+        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable();
         foreach ($variables as $variable) {
             $this->checkNodeImage($variable);
         }
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedFormalParameter.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedFormalParameter.php
index 2538ef959..33498cd9b 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedFormalParameter.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedFormalParameter.php
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ protected function removeUsedParameters(AbstractNode $node)
      */
     protected function removeRegularVariables(AbstractNode $node)
     {
-        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfType('Variable');
+        $variables = $node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable();
 
         foreach ($variables as $variable) {
             /** @var $variable ASTNode */
diff --git a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedLocalVariable.php b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedLocalVariable.php
index 8cef7a45d..9d66e4145 100644
--- a/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedLocalVariable.php
+++ b/src/main/php/PHPMD/Rule/UnusedLocalVariable.php
@@ -116,8 +116,7 @@ protected function removeParameters(AbstractCallableNode $node)
      */
     protected function collectVariables(AbstractCallableNode $node)
     {
-        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfType('Variable') as $variable) {
-            /** @var $variable ASTNode */
+        foreach ($node->findChildrenOfTypeVariable() as $variable) {
             if ($this->isLocal($variable)) {
                 $this->collectVariable($variable);
             }