diff --git a/libgnucash/engine/business-core.scm b/libgnucash/engine/business-core.scm
index f20d39044e..be87243849 100644
--- a/libgnucash/engine/business-core.scm
+++ b/libgnucash/engine/business-core.scm
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 (define-module (gnucash business-core))
 (use-modules (gnucash gnc-module))
+(use-modules (srfi srfi-1))
 (gnc:module-load "gnucash/engine" 0)
 
 (define (gnc:owner-get-address owner)
@@ -99,39 +100,29 @@
   (let ((type type-val))
     (equal? type GNC-AMT-TYPE-PERCENT)))
 
+;; this function aims to find a split's owner. various splits are
+;; supported: (1) any splits in the invoice posted transaction, in
+;; APAR or income/expense accounts (2) any splits from invoice's
+;; payments, in APAR or asset/liability accounts. it returns either
+;; the owner or '() if not found. in addition, if owner was found, the
+;; result-owner argument is mutated to it.
 (define (gnc:owner-from-split split result-owner)
+  (define (notnull x) (and (not (null? x)) x))
   (let* ((trans (xaccSplitGetParent split))
-	 (invoice (gncInvoiceGetInvoiceFromTxn trans))
-	 (temp-owner (gncOwnerNew))
-	 (owner '()))
-
-    (if (not (null? invoice))
-	(set! owner (gncInvoiceGetOwner invoice))
-	(let ((split-list (xaccTransGetSplitList trans)))
-	  (define (check-splits splits)
-	    (if (and splits (not (null? splits)))
-		(let* ((split (car splits))
-		       (lot (xaccSplitGetLot split)))
-		  (if (not (null? lot))
-		      (let* ((invoice (gncInvoiceGetInvoiceFromLot lot))
-			     (owner? (gncOwnerGetOwnerFromLot
-				      lot temp-owner)))
-			(if (not (null? invoice))
-			    (set! owner (gncInvoiceGetOwner invoice))
-			    (if owner?
-				(set! owner temp-owner)
-				(check-splits (cdr splits)))))
-		      (check-splits (cdr splits))))))
-	  (check-splits split-list)))
-
-    (if (not (null? owner))
-	(begin
-	  (gncOwnerCopy (gncOwnerGetEndOwner owner) result-owner)
-	  (gncOwnerFree temp-owner)
-	  result-owner)
-	(begin
-	  (gncOwnerFree temp-owner)
-	  '()))))
+	 (invoice (notnull (gncInvoiceGetInvoiceFromTxn trans)))
+	 (temp (gncOwnerNew))
+	 (owner (or (and invoice (gncInvoiceGetOwner invoice))
+                    (any
+                     (lambda (split)
+                       (let* ((lot (xaccSplitGetLot split))
+                              (invoice (notnull (gncInvoiceGetInvoiceFromLot lot))))
+                         (or (and invoice (gncInvoiceGetOwner invoice))
+                             (and (gncOwnerGetOwnerFromLot lot temp) temp))))
+                     (xaccTransGetSplitList trans)))))
+    (gncOwnerFree temp)
+    (cond (owner (gncOwnerCopy (gncOwnerGetEndOwner owner) result-owner)
+                 result-owner)
+          (else  '()))))
 
 
 (export gnc:owner-get-address)