diff --git a/wau/providers/git.py b/wau/providers/git.py
index 657b849..8ccfd00 100644
--- a/wau/providers/git.py
+++ b/wau/providers/git.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List
 
 from .base import Provider
 from ..addons import Addon
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ class Git(Provider):
         logger.debug("Performing 'git ls-remote' on %s", url)
         try:
             subprocess.run(
-                ["git", "ls-remote", "-h", "--exit-code", url],
+                ["git", "ls-remote", "-h", "--exit-code", *cls.split_branch_url(url)],
                 stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                 stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                 timeout=3,
@@ -31,12 +32,16 @@ class Git(Provider):
         cls._clone(addon)
         return True
 
+    @classmethod
+    def split_branch_url(cls, url: str) -> List[str]:
+        return url.replace("#", " -b ").split()  # allows for '<repo>#<branch>' syntax
+
     @classmethod
     def _clone(cls, addon: Addon) -> None:
         logger.debug("Git clone %s", addon.url)
         subprocess.call(
             ["git", "clone",
-             *addon.url.replace("#", " -b ").split(),  # allows for '<repo>#<branch>' syntax
+             *cls.split_branch_url(addon.url),
              "--depth", "1",
              "--single-branch",
              "--quiet"],