A code execution mechanism is provided which can direct a data processing system to execute native code in place of executing non-native code, in which the native code is functionally equivalent to the non-native code. The data processing system is operatively coupled to a computer readable memory for storing the functionally equivalent native code and for storing the non-native code. The code execution mechanism directs the data processing system to identify presence of the native code when the native code functionally corresponds with a portion of non-native code, and directs the data processing system to execute the native code in place of the non-native code if the presence of the native code is identified. When non functionally equivalent native code is identified, the data processing system executes the non-native code.