diff --git a/tools/generate-docs-nm-settings-docs-merge.py b/tools/generate-docs-nm-settings-docs-merge.py
index 17c78a24d3..799db73778 100755
--- a/tools/generate-docs-nm-settings-docs-merge.py
+++ b/tools/generate-docs-nm-settings-docs-merge.py
@@ -110,13 +110,12 @@ def node_set_attr(dst_node, name, nodes):
     if x:
         dst_node.set(name, x)
 
-
-def find_first_not_none(itr):
-    for i in itr:
-        if i is not None:
-            return i
-    return None
-
+def find_attr(properties_attrs, name):
+    for p_attr in properties_attrs:
+        if p_attr is not None:
+            p_attr = p_attr.find(name)
+        if p_attr is not None:
+            return p_attr
 
 ###############################################################################
 
@@ -180,17 +179,8 @@ for setting_name in iter_keys_of_dicts(settings_roots, key_fcn_setting_name):
         dbg("> > > > property_name: %s" % (property_name))
 
         properties_attrs = list([p.get(property_name) for p in properties])
-        description_docbook = find_first_not_none(
-            p_attr.find("description-docbook")
-            for p_attr in properties_attrs
-            if p_attr is not None
-        )
-
-        description = find_first_not_none(
-            p_attr.find("description")
-            for p_attr in properties_attrs
-            if p_attr is not None
-        )
+        description_docbook = find_attr(properties_attrs, "description-docbook")
+        description = find_attr(properties_attrs, "description")
 
         if gl_only_from_first and properties_attrs[0] is None:
             dbg("> > > > skip (only-from-first")