diff --git a/core/dbt/context/providers.py b/core/dbt/context/providers.py
index 0db9b0c07d0..b62741bf30d 100644
--- a/core/dbt/context/providers.py
+++ b/core/dbt/context/providers.py
@@ -124,6 +124,24 @@ def _get_adapter_macro_prefixes(self) -> List[str]:
         search_prefixes = get_adapter_type_names(self._adapter.type()) + ["default"]
         return search_prefixes
 
+    def _get_search_packages(self, macro_namespace: Optional[str] = None):
+        namespace = macro_namespace
+
+        if namespace is None:
+            search_packages = [None]
+        elif isinstance(namespace, str):
+            search_packages = self._adapter.config.get_macro_search_order(namespace)
+            if not search_packages and namespace in self._adapter.config.dependencies:
+                search_packages = [self.config.project_name, namespace]
+        else:
+            # Not a string and not None so must be a list
+            raise CompilationException(
+                f"In adapter.dispatch, got a list macro_namespace argument "
+                f'("{macro_namespace}"), but macro_namespace should be None or a string.'
+            )
+
+        return search_packages
+
     def dispatch(
         self,
         macro_name: str,
@@ -145,20 +163,7 @@ def dispatch(
         if packages is not None:
             raise macro_invalid_dispatch_arg(macro_name)
 
-        namespace = macro_namespace
-
-        if namespace is None:
-            search_packages = [None]
-        elif isinstance(namespace, str):
-            search_packages = self._adapter.config.get_macro_search_order(namespace)
-            if not search_packages and namespace in self._adapter.config.dependencies:
-                search_packages = [self.config.project_name, namespace]
-        else:
-            # Not a string and not None so must be a list
-            raise CompilationException(
-                f"In adapter.dispatch, got a list macro_namespace argument "
-                f'("{macro_namespace}"), but macro_namespace should be None or a string.'
-            )
+        search_packages = self._get_search_packages(macro_namespace)
 
         attempts = []