diff --git a/fdroidserver/common.py b/fdroidserver/common.py
index c6ca2fb8..d7a45d2e 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/common.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/common.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ import fdroidserver.metadata
 import fdroidserver.lint
 from fdroidserver import _
 from fdroidserver.exception import FDroidException, VCSException, NoSubmodulesException,\
-    BuildException, VerificationException
+    BuildException, VerificationException, MetaDataException
 from .asynchronousfilereader import AsynchronousFileReader
 
 # The path to this fdroidserver distribution
@@ -1808,6 +1808,36 @@ def get_app_from_url(url):
     return app
 
 
+def parse_srclib_spec(spec):
+
+    if type(spec) != str:
+        raise MetaDataException(_("can not parse scrlib spec "
+                                  "(not a string): '{}'")
+                                .format(spec))
+
+    tokens = spec.split('@')
+    if len(tokens) > 2:
+        raise MetaDataException(_("could not parse srclib spec "
+                                  "(too many '@' signs): '{}'")
+                                .format(spec))
+    elif len(tokens) < 2:
+        raise MetaDataException(_("could not parse srclib spec "
+                                  "(no ref specified): '{}'")
+                                .format(spec))
+
+    name = tokens[0]
+    ref = tokens[1]
+    number = None
+    subdir = None
+
+    if ':' in name:
+        number, name = name.split(':', 1)
+    if '/' in name:
+        name, subdir = name.split('/', 1)
+
+    return (name, ref, number, subdir)
+
+
 def getsrclib(spec, srclib_dir, subdir=None, basepath=False,
               raw=False, prepare=True, preponly=False, refresh=True,
               build=None):
diff --git a/fdroidserver/lint.py b/fdroidserver/lint.py
index 000d2092..586eefbc 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/lint.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/lint.py
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ def main():
                 for srclib in build.srclibs:
                     srclibs.add(srclib)
             for srclib in srclibs:
-                name, numer, libdir = common.getsrclib(srclib, 'srclibs', prepare=False, refresh=False)
+                name, ref, number, subdir = common.parse_srclib_spec(srclib)
                 srclibpath = os.path.join('srclibs', name + '.yml')
                 if os.path.isfile(srclibpath):
                     yamllintresult = common.run_yamllint(srclibpath)
diff --git a/tests/common.TestCase b/tests/common.TestCase
index d5354284..93fbedd3 100755
--- a/tests/common.TestCase
+++ b/tests/common.TestCase
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import fdroidserver.signindex
 import fdroidserver.common
 import fdroidserver.metadata
 from testcommon import TmpCwd
-from fdroidserver.exception import FDroidException, VCSException
+from fdroidserver.exception import FDroidException, VCSException, MetaDataException
 
 
 class CommonTest(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -1014,6 +1014,22 @@ class CommonTest(unittest.TestCase):
             subdir = fdroidserver.common.get_gradle_subdir(build_dir, paths)
             self.assertEqual(subdirs[f], subdir)
 
+    def test_parse_srclib_spec_good(self):
+        self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec('osmand-external-skia@android/oreo'),
+                         ('osmand-external-skia', 'android/oreo', None, None))
+        self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec('1:appcompat@v7'),
+                         ('appcompat', 'v7', '1', None))
+        self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec('1:Support/v7/appcompat@android-4.4_r1.1'),
+                         ('Support', 'android-4.4_r1.1', '1', 'v7/appcompat'))
+
+    def test_parse_srclib_spec_bad(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(MetaDataException):
+            self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec(None))
+        with self.assertRaises(MetaDataException):
+            self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec('no-ref'))
+        with self.assertRaises(MetaDataException):
+            self.assertEqual(fdroidserver.common.parse_srclib_spec('@multi@at-signs@'))
+
     def test_bad_urls(self):
         for url in ('asdf',
                     'file://thing.git',