diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/start-function-prelude.js b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/start-function-prelude.js
index 150927f17de..8ad9a1bf0a7 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/start-function-prelude.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/start-function-prelude.js
@@ -60,38 +60,25 @@ export default {
 
         // Check for await usage before and within the region
         let foundAwait = false;
-        
-        // Use ESLint's selector to find await expressions
+
+        // Use ESLint's built-in traversal
         const awaitExpressions = [];
-        context.getSourceCode().ast.body.forEach(node => {
-          if (node.type === 'ExportNamedDeclaration' && 
-              node.declaration?.type === 'FunctionDeclaration' &&
-              node.declaration.id.name === 'start') {
-            // Walk the function body looking for AwaitExpression nodes
-            const walk = node => {
-              if (node.type === 'AwaitExpression') {
-                awaitExpressions.push(node);
-              }
-              for (const key in node) {
-                if (typeof node[key] === 'object' && node[key] !== null) {
-                  if (Array.isArray(node[key])) {
-                    node[key].forEach(walk);
-                  } else {
-                    walk(node[key]);
-                  }
+        context.getSourceCode().visitorKeys.BlockStatement.forEach(key => {
+          const bodyContent = functionNode.body[key];
+          if (Array.isArray(bodyContent)) {
+            bodyContent.forEach(statement => {
+              if (statement.type === 'ExpressionStatement' && 
+                  statement.expression.type === 'AwaitExpression') {
+                const awaitLine = statement.loc.start.line;
+                const relativeLine = awaitLine - functionNode.loc.start.line;
+                if (relativeLine <= regionEndLine) {
+                  foundAwait = true;
                 }
               }
-            };
-            walk(node.declaration.body);
+            });
           }
         });
 
-        foundAwait = awaitExpressions.some(node => {
-          const awaitLine = node.loc.start.line;
-          const relativeLine = awaitLine - functionNode.loc.start.line;
-          return relativeLine <= regionEndLine;
-        });
-
         if (foundAwait) {
           context.report({
             node: functionNode,