diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -5387,12 +5387,8 @@
         hint = _(b'use hg pull followed by hg update DEST')
         raise error.InputError(msg, hint=hint)
 
-    if not sources:
-        sources = [b'default']
-    for source in sources:
-        source, branches = urlutil.parseurl(
-            ui.expandpath(source), opts.get(b'branch')
-        )
+    sources = urlutil.get_pull_paths(repo, ui, sources, opts.get(b'branch'))
+    for source, branches in sources:
         ui.status(_(b'pulling from %s\n') % urlutil.hidepassword(source))
         ui.flush()
         other = hg.peer(repo, opts, source)
diff --git a/mercurial/utils/urlutil.py b/mercurial/utils/urlutil.py
--- a/mercurial/utils/urlutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/utils/urlutil.py
@@ -453,6 +453,15 @@
         yield ui.getpath(dest, default=(b'default-push', b'default'))
 
 
+def get_pull_paths(repo, ui, sources, default_branches=()):
+    """yields all the `(path, branch)` selected as pull source by `sources`"""
+    if not sources:
+        sources = [b'default']
+    for source in sources:
+        url = ui.expandpath(source)
+        yield parseurl(url, default_branches)
+
+
 def parseurl(path, branches=None):
     '''parse url#branch, returning (url, (branch, branches))'''
     u = url(path)