diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ad880d1fc5..4bca65383a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -928,6 +928,7 @@ LIB_OBJS += refs/files-backend.o
 LIB_OBJS += refs/iterator.o
 LIB_OBJS += refs/packed-backend.o
 LIB_OBJS += refs/ref-cache.o
+LIB_OBJS += refspec.o
 LIB_OBJS += ref-filter.o
 LIB_OBJS += remote.o
 LIB_OBJS += replace-object.o
diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index 2672054f0b..32ccefc6b5 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "branch.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "worktree.h"
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index 84f1473d19..6d1614ed37 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "parse-options.h"
 #include "fetch-pack.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "tree.h"
 #include "tree-walk.h"
 #include "unpack-trees.h"
diff --git a/builtin/fast-export.c b/builtin/fast-export.c
index 530df12f05..a13b7c8ef3 100644
--- a/builtin/fast-export.c
+++ b/builtin/fast-export.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "object.h"
 #include "tag.h"
diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 7ee83ac0f8..1fce68e9ac 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "repository.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index 9db5a2cf16..c362cfe90d 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "diff.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "diffcore.h"
 #include "revision.h"
diff --git a/builtin/pull.c b/builtin/pull.c
index 71aac5005e..6247c956d7 100644
--- a/builtin/pull.c
+++ b/builtin/pull.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "dir.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "submodule.h"
 #include "submodule-config.h"
diff --git a/builtin/push.c b/builtin/push.c
index ac3705370e..fa65999b27 100644
--- a/builtin/push.c
+++ b/builtin/push.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "remote.h"
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 8708e584e9..c495139954 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "strbuf.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
 
 static const char * const builtin_remote_usage[] = {
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index c2403a915f..6ab032acb1 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "connect.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "diffcore.h"
diff --git a/checkout.c b/checkout.c
index ac42630f74..193ba85675 100644
--- a/checkout.c
+++ b/checkout.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "remote.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "checkout.h"
 
 struct tracking_name_data {
diff --git a/refspec.c b/refspec.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..50892f864c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/refspec.c
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
+
+static struct refspec s_tag_refspec = {
+	0,
+	1,
+	0,
+	0,
+	"refs/tags/*",
+	"refs/tags/*"
+};
+
+/* See TAG_REFSPEC for the string version */
+const struct refspec *tag_refspec = &s_tag_refspec;
+
+static struct refspec *parse_refspec_internal(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec, int fetch, int verify)
+{
+	int i;
+	struct refspec *rs = xcalloc(nr_refspec, sizeof(*rs));
+
+	for (i = 0; i < nr_refspec; i++) {
+		size_t llen;
+		int is_glob;
+		const char *lhs, *rhs;
+		int flags;
+
+		is_glob = 0;
+
+		lhs = refspec[i];
+		if (*lhs == '+') {
+			rs[i].force = 1;
+			lhs++;
+		}
+
+		rhs = strrchr(lhs, ':');
+
+		/*
+		 * Before going on, special case ":" (or "+:") as a refspec
+		 * for pushing matching refs.
+		 */
+		if (!fetch && rhs == lhs && rhs[1] == '\0') {
+			rs[i].matching = 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (rhs) {
+			size_t rlen = strlen(++rhs);
+			is_glob = (1 <= rlen && strchr(rhs, '*'));
+			rs[i].dst = xstrndup(rhs, rlen);
+		}
+
+		llen = (rhs ? (rhs - lhs - 1) : strlen(lhs));
+		if (1 <= llen && memchr(lhs, '*', llen)) {
+			if ((rhs && !is_glob) || (!rhs && fetch))
+				goto invalid;
+			is_glob = 1;
+		} else if (rhs && is_glob) {
+			goto invalid;
+		}
+
+		rs[i].pattern = is_glob;
+		rs[i].src = xstrndup(lhs, llen);
+		flags = REFNAME_ALLOW_ONELEVEL | (is_glob ? REFNAME_REFSPEC_PATTERN : 0);
+
+		if (fetch) {
+			struct object_id unused;
+
+			/* LHS */
+			if (!*rs[i].src)
+				; /* empty is ok; it means "HEAD" */
+			else if (llen == GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ && !get_oid_hex(rs[i].src, &unused))
+				rs[i].exact_sha1 = 1; /* ok */
+			else if (!check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
+				; /* valid looking ref is ok */
+			else
+				goto invalid;
+			/* RHS */
+			if (!rs[i].dst)
+				; /* missing is ok; it is the same as empty */
+			else if (!*rs[i].dst)
+				; /* empty is ok; it means "do not store" */
+			else if (!check_refname_format(rs[i].dst, flags))
+				; /* valid looking ref is ok */
+			else
+				goto invalid;
+		} else {
+			/*
+			 * LHS
+			 * - empty is allowed; it means delete.
+			 * - when wildcarded, it must be a valid looking ref.
+			 * - otherwise, it must be an extended SHA-1, but
+			 *   there is no existing way to validate this.
+			 */
+			if (!*rs[i].src)
+				; /* empty is ok */
+			else if (is_glob) {
+				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
+					goto invalid;
+			}
+			else
+				; /* anything goes, for now */
+			/*
+			 * RHS
+			 * - missing is allowed, but LHS then must be a
+			 *   valid looking ref.
+			 * - empty is not allowed.
+			 * - otherwise it must be a valid looking ref.
+			 */
+			if (!rs[i].dst) {
+				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
+					goto invalid;
+			} else if (!*rs[i].dst) {
+				goto invalid;
+			} else {
+				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].dst, flags))
+					goto invalid;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return rs;
+
+ invalid:
+	if (verify) {
+		/*
+		 * nr_refspec must be greater than zero and i must be valid
+		 * since it is only possible to reach this point from within
+		 * the for loop above.
+		 */
+		free_refspec(i+1, rs);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	die("Invalid refspec '%s'", refspec[i]);
+}
+
+int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *fetch_refspec_str)
+{
+	struct refspec *refspec;
+
+	refspec = parse_refspec_internal(1, &fetch_refspec_str, 1, 1);
+	free_refspec(1, refspec);
+	return !!refspec;
+}
+
+struct refspec *parse_fetch_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec)
+{
+	return parse_refspec_internal(nr_refspec, refspec, 1, 0);
+}
+
+struct refspec *parse_push_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec)
+{
+	return parse_refspec_internal(nr_refspec, refspec, 0, 0);
+}
+
+void free_refspec(int nr_refspec, struct refspec *refspec)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	if (!refspec)
+		return;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < nr_refspec; i++) {
+		free(refspec[i].src);
+		free(refspec[i].dst);
+	}
+	free(refspec);
+}
diff --git a/refspec.h b/refspec.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..62625c23a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/refspec.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#ifndef REFSPEC_H
+#define REFSPEC_H
+
+#define TAG_REFSPEC "refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*"
+extern const struct refspec *tag_refspec;
+
+struct refspec {
+	unsigned force : 1;
+	unsigned pattern : 1;
+	unsigned matching : 1;
+	unsigned exact_sha1 : 1;
+
+	char *src;
+	char *dst;
+};
+
+int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *refspec);
+struct refspec *parse_fetch_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec);
+struct refspec *parse_push_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec);
+
+void free_refspec(int nr_refspec, struct refspec *refspec);
+
+#endif /* REFSPEC_H */
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 91eb010ca9..4d67c061a0 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "diff.h"
 #include "revision.h"
@@ -13,18 +14,6 @@
 
 enum map_direction { FROM_SRC, FROM_DST };
 
-static struct refspec s_tag_refspec = {
-	0,
-	1,
-	0,
-	0,
-	"refs/tags/*",
-	"refs/tags/*"
-};
-
-/* See TAG_REFSPEC for the string version */
-const struct refspec *tag_refspec = &s_tag_refspec;
-
 struct counted_string {
 	size_t len;
 	const char *s;
@@ -499,158 +488,6 @@ static void read_config(void)
 	alias_all_urls();
 }
 
-static struct refspec *parse_refspec_internal(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec, int fetch, int verify)
-{
-	int i;
-	struct refspec *rs = xcalloc(nr_refspec, sizeof(*rs));
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_refspec; i++) {
-		size_t llen;
-		int is_glob;
-		const char *lhs, *rhs;
-		int flags;
-
-		is_glob = 0;
-
-		lhs = refspec[i];
-		if (*lhs == '+') {
-			rs[i].force = 1;
-			lhs++;
-		}
-
-		rhs = strrchr(lhs, ':');
-
-		/*
-		 * Before going on, special case ":" (or "+:") as a refspec
-		 * for pushing matching refs.
-		 */
-		if (!fetch && rhs == lhs && rhs[1] == '\0') {
-			rs[i].matching = 1;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		if (rhs) {
-			size_t rlen = strlen(++rhs);
-			is_glob = (1 <= rlen && strchr(rhs, '*'));
-			rs[i].dst = xstrndup(rhs, rlen);
-		}
-
-		llen = (rhs ? (rhs - lhs - 1) : strlen(lhs));
-		if (1 <= llen && memchr(lhs, '*', llen)) {
-			if ((rhs && !is_glob) || (!rhs && fetch))
-				goto invalid;
-			is_glob = 1;
-		} else if (rhs && is_glob) {
-			goto invalid;
-		}
-
-		rs[i].pattern = is_glob;
-		rs[i].src = xstrndup(lhs, llen);
-		flags = REFNAME_ALLOW_ONELEVEL | (is_glob ? REFNAME_REFSPEC_PATTERN : 0);
-
-		if (fetch) {
-			struct object_id unused;
-
-			/* LHS */
-			if (!*rs[i].src)
-				; /* empty is ok; it means "HEAD" */
-			else if (llen == GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ && !get_oid_hex(rs[i].src, &unused))
-				rs[i].exact_sha1 = 1; /* ok */
-			else if (!check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
-				; /* valid looking ref is ok */
-			else
-				goto invalid;
-			/* RHS */
-			if (!rs[i].dst)
-				; /* missing is ok; it is the same as empty */
-			else if (!*rs[i].dst)
-				; /* empty is ok; it means "do not store" */
-			else if (!check_refname_format(rs[i].dst, flags))
-				; /* valid looking ref is ok */
-			else
-				goto invalid;
-		} else {
-			/*
-			 * LHS
-			 * - empty is allowed; it means delete.
-			 * - when wildcarded, it must be a valid looking ref.
-			 * - otherwise, it must be an extended SHA-1, but
-			 *   there is no existing way to validate this.
-			 */
-			if (!*rs[i].src)
-				; /* empty is ok */
-			else if (is_glob) {
-				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
-					goto invalid;
-			}
-			else
-				; /* anything goes, for now */
-			/*
-			 * RHS
-			 * - missing is allowed, but LHS then must be a
-			 *   valid looking ref.
-			 * - empty is not allowed.
-			 * - otherwise it must be a valid looking ref.
-			 */
-			if (!rs[i].dst) {
-				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].src, flags))
-					goto invalid;
-			} else if (!*rs[i].dst) {
-				goto invalid;
-			} else {
-				if (check_refname_format(rs[i].dst, flags))
-					goto invalid;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return rs;
-
- invalid:
-	if (verify) {
-		/*
-		 * nr_refspec must be greater than zero and i must be valid
-		 * since it is only possible to reach this point from within
-		 * the for loop above.
-		 */
-		free_refspec(i+1, rs);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	die("Invalid refspec '%s'", refspec[i]);
-}
-
-int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *fetch_refspec_str)
-{
-	struct refspec *refspec;
-
-	refspec = parse_refspec_internal(1, &fetch_refspec_str, 1, 1);
-	free_refspec(1, refspec);
-	return !!refspec;
-}
-
-struct refspec *parse_fetch_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec)
-{
-	return parse_refspec_internal(nr_refspec, refspec, 1, 0);
-}
-
-struct refspec *parse_push_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec)
-{
-	return parse_refspec_internal(nr_refspec, refspec, 0, 0);
-}
-
-void free_refspec(int nr_refspec, struct refspec *refspec)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	if (!refspec)
-		return;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_refspec; i++) {
-		free(refspec[i].src);
-		free(refspec[i].dst);
-	}
-	free(refspec);
-}
-
 static int valid_remote_nick(const char *name)
 {
 	if (!name[0] || is_dot_or_dotdot(name))
diff --git a/remote.h b/remote.h
index 2b3180f94d..386ced9012 100644
--- a/remote.h
+++ b/remote.h
@@ -68,18 +68,6 @@ int for_each_remote(each_remote_fn fn, void *priv);
 
 int remote_has_url(struct remote *remote, const char *url);
 
-struct refspec {
-	unsigned force : 1;
-	unsigned pattern : 1;
-	unsigned matching : 1;
-	unsigned exact_sha1 : 1;
-
-	char *src;
-	char *dst;
-};
-
-extern const struct refspec *tag_refspec;
-
 struct ref {
 	struct ref *next;
 	struct object_id old_oid;
@@ -175,12 +163,6 @@ int ref_newer(const struct object_id *new_oid, const struct object_id *old_oid);
  */
 struct ref *ref_remove_duplicates(struct ref *ref_map);
 
-int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *refspec);
-struct refspec *parse_fetch_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec);
-extern struct refspec *parse_push_refspec(int nr_refspec, const char **refspec);
-
-void free_refspec(int nr_refspec, struct refspec *refspec);
-
 extern int query_refspecs(struct refspec *specs, int nr, struct refspec *query);
 char *apply_refspecs(struct refspec *refspecs, int nr_refspec,
 		     const char *name);
@@ -313,8 +295,6 @@ extern int parseopt_push_cas_option(const struct option *, const char *arg, int
 extern int is_empty_cas(const struct push_cas_option *);
 void apply_push_cas(struct push_cas_option *, struct remote *, struct ref *);
 
-#define TAG_REFSPEC "refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*"
-
 void add_prune_tags_to_fetch_refspec(struct remote *remote);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index 11f1055b47..b99e1cce9e 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "sigchain.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "transport-internal.h"
 #include "protocol.h"
 
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index 37410d8aad..2cf63d18b7 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "bundle.h"
 #include "dir.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "refspec.h"
 #include "branch.h"
 #include "url.h"
 #include "submodule.h"