A system and method for constructing a user application's Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) namespace in a computer platform employing an ACPI-compatible implementation is disclosed. A traversing function is operable to traverse a kernel ACPI namespace nodal tree and provide the name of the node of the tree to the user application's ACPI namespace. The traversing function may withhold a copy of a particular node if that node is a control method object not included in a list of safe control methods. Another embodiment provides a scheme for assisting a user application's access to a control method object.