diff --git a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
index 599ce6de2..2939817ec 100644
--- a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
+++ b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
@@ -33,31 +33,31 @@ from lib.utils.resume import resume
 
 reqCount = 0
 
-def __configUnionChar(char):
-    if char.isdigit() or char == "NULL":
-        conf.uChar = char
-    elif not char.startswith("'") or not char.endswith("'"):
-        conf.uChar = "'%s'" % char
-
-def __configUnionCols(columns):
-    if "-" not in columns or len(columns.split("-")) != 2:
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range with hyphon (e.g. 1-10)"
-
-    columns = columns.replace(" ", "")
-    conf.uColsStart, conf.uColsStop = columns.split("-")
-
-    if not conf.uColsStart.isdigit() or not conf.uColsStop.isdigit():
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range of integers"
-
-    conf.uColsStart = int(conf.uColsStart)
-    conf.uColsStop = int(conf.uColsStop)
-
-    if conf.uColsStart > conf.uColsStop:
-        errMsg = "--union-cols range has to be from lower to "
-        errMsg += "higher number of columns"
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, errMsg
-
 def configUnion(char=None, columns=None):
+    def __configUnionChar(char):
+        if char.isdigit() or char == "NULL":
+            conf.uChar = char
+        elif not char.startswith("'") or not char.endswith("'"):
+            conf.uChar = "'%s'" % char
+
+    def __configUnionCols(columns):
+        if "-" not in columns or len(columns.split("-")) != 2:
+            raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range with hyphon (e.g. 1-10)"
+
+        columns = columns.replace(" ", "")
+        conf.uColsStart, conf.uColsStop = columns.split("-")
+
+        if not conf.uColsStart.isdigit() or not conf.uColsStop.isdigit():
+            raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range of integers"
+
+        conf.uColsStart = int(conf.uColsStart)
+        conf.uColsStop = int(conf.uColsStop)
+
+        if conf.uColsStart > conf.uColsStop:
+            errMsg = "--union-cols range has to be from lower to "
+            errMsg += "higher number of columns"
+            raise sqlmapSyntaxException, errMsg
+
     if isinstance(conf.uChar, basestring):
         __configUnionChar(conf.uChar)
     elif isinstance(char, basestring):