diff --git a/reloading/reloading.py b/reloading/reloading.py
index ef79636..2a8aa41 100644
--- a/reloading/reloading.py
+++ b/reloading/reloading.py
@@ -53,68 +53,62 @@ def reloading(fn_or_seq=None, every=1, forever=None):
 
 
 def unique_name(used):
+    # get the longest element of the used names and append a "0"
     return max(used, key=len) + "0"
 
 
-def tuple_ast_as_name(tup):
-    if isinstance(
-        tup, ast.Name
-    ):  # handle the case that there only is a single loop var
-        return tup.id
+def format_itervars(ast_node):
+    """Formats a an `ast_node` of loop iteration variables as string, e.g. 'a, b'"""
+
+    # handle the case that there only is a single loop var
+    if isinstance(ast_node, ast.Name):  
+        return ast_node.id
+
     names = []
-    for child in tup.elts:
+    for child in ast_node.elts:
         if isinstance(child, ast.Name):
             names.append(child.id)
         elif isinstance(child, ast.Tuple):
-            names.append(
-                "({})".format(tuple_ast_as_name(child))
-            )  # if its another tuple, like "a, (b, c)", recurse.
+            # if its another tuple, like "a, (b, c)", recurse
+            names.append("({})".format(format_itervars(child)))  
+
     return ", ".join(names)
 
 
 def load_file(path):
     src = ""
-    while (
-        src == ""
-    ):  # while loop here since while saving, the file may sometimes be empty.
+    # while loop here since while saving, the file may sometimes be empty.
+    while (src == ""):  
         with open(path, "r") as f:
             src = f.read()
     return src + "\n"
 
 
-def load_ast_parse(path):
+def parse_file_until_successful(path):
     source = load_file(path)
     while True:
         try:
             tree = ast.parse(source)
-            break
+            return tree
         except SyntaxError:
             handle_exception(path)
             source = load_file(path)
-    return tree
 
 
-def isolate_loop_ast(tree, lineno=None):
-    """Strip ast from anything but the loop body, also returning the loop vars."""
-    for child in ast.walk(tree):
-        # i hope this is enough checks
-        if (
-            getattr(child, "lineno", None) == lineno
-            and child.iter.func.id == "reloading"
-        ):
-            itervars = tuple_ast_as_name(child.target)
-            # replace the original body with the loop body
-            tree.body = child.body
-            return itervars
+def isolate_loop_body_and_get_itervars(tree, lineno):
+    """Modifies tree inplace as unclear how to create ast.Module.
+    Returns itervars"""
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if (getattr(node, "lineno", None) == lineno and node.iter.func.id == "reloading"):
+            tree.body = node.body
+            return node.target
 
 
 def get_loop_code(loop_frame_info):
     fpath = loop_frame_info[1]
-    # find the loop body in the caller module's source
-    tree = load_ast_parse(fpath)
-    # same working principle as the functio nversion, strip the ast of everything but the loop body.
-    itervars = isolate_loop_ast(tree, lineno=loop_frame_info[2])
-    return compile(tree, filename="", mode="exec"), itervars
+    tree = parse_file_until_successful(fpath)
+    itervars = isolate_loop_body_and_get_itervars(tree, lineno=loop_frame_info[2])
+    return compile(tree, filename="", mode="exec"), format_itervars(itervars)
 
 
 def handle_exception(fpath):
@@ -151,56 +145,55 @@ def _reloading_loop(seq, every=1):
     return []
 
 
-def ast_get_decorator_name(dec):
-    if hasattr(dec, "id"):
-        return dec.id
-    return dec.func.id
+def get_decorator_name(dec_node):
+    if hasattr(dec_node, "id"):
+        return dec_node.id
+    return dec_node.func.id
 
 
-def ast_filter_decorator(func):
-    """Filter out the reloading decorator, inplace."""
+def strip_reloading_decorator(func):
+    """Remove the reloading decorator in-place"""
     func.decorator_list = [
-        dec for dec in func.decorator_list if ast_get_decorator_name(dec) != "reloading"
+        dec for dec in func.decorator_list if get_decorator_name(dec) != "reloading"
     ]
 
 
-def isolate_func_ast(funcname, tree):
-    """Remove everything but the function definition from the ast."""
-    for child in ast.walk(tree):
+def isolate_function_def(funcname, tree):
+    """Strip everything but the function definition from the ast in-place.
+    Also strips the reloading decorator from the function definition"""
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
         if (
-            isinstance(child, ast.FunctionDef)
-            and child.name == funcname
-            and len(
-                [
-                    dec
-                    for dec in child.decorator_list
-                    if ast_get_decorator_name(dec) == "reloading"
-                ]
-            )
-            == 1
+            isinstance(node, ast.FunctionDef)
+            and node.name == funcname
+            and "reloading" in [
+                get_decorator_name(dec)
+                for dec in node.decorator_list
+            ]
         ):
-            ast_filter_decorator(child)
-            tree.body = [
-                child
-            ]  # reassign body, i would create a new ast if i knew how to create ast.Module objects
+            strip_reloading_decorator(node)
+            tree.body = [ node ]  
+            return True
+    return False
 
 
 def get_function_def_code(fpath, fn):
-    tree = load_ast_parse(fpath)
-    # these both work inplace and modify the ast
-    isolate_func_ast(fn.__name__, tree)
+    tree = parse_file_until_successful(fpath)
+    found = isolate_function_def(fn.__name__, tree)
+    if not found:
+        return None
     compiled = compile(tree, filename="", mode="exec")
     return compiled
 
 
 def get_reloaded_function(caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn):
     code = get_function_def_code(fpath, fn)
+    if code is None:
+        return None
     # need to copy locals, otherwise the exec will overwrite the decorated with the undecorated new version
     # this became a need after removing the reloading decorator from the newly defined version
-    caller_locals = caller_locals.copy()
-    exec(code, caller_globals, caller_locals)
-    func = caller_locals[fn.__name__]
-    # get the newly defined function from the caller_locals copy
+    caller_locals_copy = caller_locals.copy()
+    exec(code, caller_globals, caller_locals_copy)
+    func = caller_locals_copy[fn.__name__]
     return func
 
 
@@ -212,24 +205,21 @@ def _reloading_function(fn, every=1):
 
     # crutch to use dict as python2 doesn't support nonlocal
     state = {
-        "func": get_reloaded_function(caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn),
-        "reloads": 1,
+        "func": None,
+        "reloads": 0,
     }
 
     def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
         if state["reloads"] % every == 0:
-            state["func"] = get_reloaded_function(caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn)
+            state["func"] = get_reloaded_function(caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn) or state["func"]
         state["reloads"] += 1
         while True:
             try:
                 result = state["func"](*args, **kwargs)
-                break
+                return result
             except Exception:
                 handle_exception(fpath)
-                state["func"] = get_reloaded_function(
-                    caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn
-                )
-        return result
+                state["func"] = get_reloaded_function(caller_globals, caller_locals, fpath, fn) or state["func"]
 
     caller_locals[fn.__name__] = wrapped
-    return wrapped
\ No newline at end of file
+    return wrapped