diff --git a/app/models/miq_ae_method.rb b/app/models/miq_ae_method.rb
index a219f598465..961af040c40 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_ae_method.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_ae_method.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class MiqAeMethod < ApplicationRecord
 
   AVAILABLE_LANGUAGES  = ["ruby", "perl"]  # someday, add sh, perl, python, tcl and any other scripting language
   validates_inclusion_of  :language,  :in => AVAILABLE_LANGUAGES
-  AVAILABLE_LOCATIONS  = ["builtin", "inline", "uri"]
+  AVAILABLE_LOCATIONS = %w(builtin inline uri expression).freeze
   validates_inclusion_of  :location,  :in => AVAILABLE_LOCATIONS
   AVAILABLE_SCOPES     = ["class", "instance"]
   validates_inclusion_of  :scope,     :in => AVAILABLE_SCOPES
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ def self.available_scopes
     AVAILABLE_SCOPES
   end
 
+  def self.available_expression_objects
+    MiqExpression.base_tables
+  end
+
   # Validate the syntax of the passed in inline ruby code
   def self.validate_syntax(code_text)
     result = MiqSyntaxChecker.check(code_text)
diff --git a/spec/support/automation_helper.rb b/spec/support/automation_helper.rb
index dc02eb7ca61..ae9b8f6e8c4 100644
--- a/spec/support/automation_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/support/automation_helper.rb
@@ -35,11 +35,12 @@ def create_ae_model_with_method(attrs = {})
         attrs = default_ae_model_attributes(attrs)
         method_script = attrs.delete(:method_script)
         method_params = attrs.delete(:method_params) || {}
+        method_loc = attrs.delete(:method_loc) || "inline"
         instance_name = attrs.delete(:instance_name)
         method_name = attrs.delete(:method_name)
         ae_fields = {'execute' => {:aetype => 'method', :datatype => 'string'}}
         ae_instances = {instance_name => {'execute' => {:value => method_name}}}
-        ae_methods = {method_name => {:scope => 'instance', :location => 'inline',
+        ae_methods = {method_name => {:scope => 'instance', :location => method_loc,
                                       :data => method_script,
                                       :language => 'ruby', 'params' => method_params}}