diff --git a/mercurial/remotenames.py b/mercurial/remotenames.py
--- a/mercurial/remotenames.py
+++ b/mercurial/remotenames.py
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+def splitremotename(remote):
+    name = ''
+    if '/' in remote:
+        remote, name = remote.split('/', 1)
+    return remote, name
+
+def joinremotename(remote, ref):
+    if ref:
+        remote += '/' + ref
+    return remote
+
 def pullremotenames(localrepo, remoterepo, remotepath):
     """ pulls bookmarks and branches information of the remote repo during a
     pull or clone operation.