diff --git a/refspec.c b/refspec.c
index 66989a1d75..72b3911110 100644
--- a/refspec.c
+++ b/refspec.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "hash.h"
 #include "hex.h"
+#include "string-list.h"
 #include "strvec.h"
 #include "refs.h"
 #include "refspec.h"
@@ -324,3 +325,125 @@ int omit_name_by_refspec(const char *name, struct refspec *rs)
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
+
+static int query_matches_negative_refspec(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query)
+{
+	int i, matched_negative = 0;
+	int find_src = !query->src;
+	struct string_list reversed = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+	const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
+
+	/*
+	 * Check whether the queried ref matches any negative refpsec. If so,
+	 * then we should ultimately treat this as not matching the query at
+	 * all.
+	 *
+	 * Note that negative refspecs always match the source, but the query
+	 * item uses the destination. To handle this, we apply pattern
+	 * refspecs in reverse to figure out if the query source matches any
+	 * of the negative refspecs.
+	 *
+	 * The first loop finds and expands all positive refspecs
+	 * matched by the queried ref.
+	 *
+	 * The second loop checks if any of the results of the first loop
+	 * match any negative refspec.
+	 */
+	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
+		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
+		char *expn_name;
+
+		if (refspec->negative)
+			continue;
+
+		/* Note the reversal of src and dst */
+		if (refspec->pattern) {
+			const char *key = refspec->dst ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
+			const char *value = refspec->src;
+
+			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, &expn_name))
+				string_list_append_nodup(&reversed, expn_name);
+		} else if (refspec->matching) {
+			/* For the special matching refspec, any query should match */
+			string_list_append(&reversed, needle);
+		} else if (!refspec->src) {
+			BUG("refspec->src should not be null here");
+		} else if (!strcmp(needle, refspec->src)) {
+			string_list_append(&reversed, refspec->src);
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; !matched_negative && i < reversed.nr; i++) {
+		if (omit_name_by_refspec(reversed.items[i].string, rs))
+			matched_negative = 1;
+	}
+
+	string_list_clear(&reversed, 0);
+
+	return matched_negative;
+}
+
+void query_refspecs_multiple(struct refspec *rs,
+				    struct refspec_item *query,
+				    struct string_list *results)
+{
+	int i;
+	int find_src = !query->src;
+
+	if (find_src && !query->dst)
+		BUG("query_refspecs_multiple: need either src or dst");
+
+	if (query_matches_negative_refspec(rs, query))
+		return;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
+		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
+		const char *key = find_src ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
+		const char *value = find_src ? refspec->src : refspec->dst;
+		const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
+		char **result = find_src ? &query->src : &query->dst;
+
+		if (!refspec->dst || refspec->negative)
+			continue;
+		if (refspec->pattern) {
+			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, result))
+				string_list_append_nodup(results, *result);
+		} else if (!strcmp(needle, key)) {
+			string_list_append(results, value);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+int query_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query)
+{
+	int i;
+	int find_src = !query->src;
+	const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
+	char **result = find_src ? &query->src : &query->dst;
+
+	if (find_src && !query->dst)
+		BUG("query_refspecs: need either src or dst");
+
+	if (query_matches_negative_refspec(rs, query))
+		return -1;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
+		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
+		const char *key = find_src ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
+		const char *value = find_src ? refspec->src : refspec->dst;
+
+		if (!refspec->dst || refspec->negative)
+			continue;
+		if (refspec->pattern) {
+			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, result)) {
+				query->force = refspec->force;
+				return 0;
+			}
+		} else if (!strcmp(needle, key)) {
+			*result = xstrdup(value);
+			query->force = refspec->force;
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+	return -1;
+}
diff --git a/refspec.h b/refspec.h
index 891d50b159..d0788de782 100644
--- a/refspec.h
+++ b/refspec.h
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ struct refspec_item {
 	char *raw;
 };
 
+struct string_list;
+
 #define REFSPEC_FETCH 1
 #define REFSPEC_PUSH 0
 
@@ -84,4 +86,18 @@ int omit_name_by_refspec(const char *name, struct refspec *rs);
 int match_name_with_pattern(const char *key, const char *name,
 				   const char *value, char **result);
 
+/*
+ * Queries a refspec for a match and updates the query item.
+ * Returns 0 on success, -1 if no match is found or negative refspec matches.
+ */
+int query_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query);
+
+/*
+ * Queries a refspec for all matches and appends results to the provided string
+ * list.
+ */
+void query_refspecs_multiple(struct refspec *rs,
+				    struct refspec_item *query,
+				    struct string_list *results);
+
 #endif /* REFSPEC_H */
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 40c2418065..2c46611821 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -925,128 +925,6 @@ struct ref *apply_negative_refspecs(struct ref *ref_map, struct refspec *rs)
 	return ref_map;
 }
 
-static int query_matches_negative_refspec(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query)
-{
-	int i, matched_negative = 0;
-	int find_src = !query->src;
-	struct string_list reversed = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-	const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
-
-	/*
-	 * Check whether the queried ref matches any negative refpsec. If so,
-	 * then we should ultimately treat this as not matching the query at
-	 * all.
-	 *
-	 * Note that negative refspecs always match the source, but the query
-	 * item uses the destination. To handle this, we apply pattern
-	 * refspecs in reverse to figure out if the query source matches any
-	 * of the negative refspecs.
-	 *
-	 * The first loop finds and expands all positive refspecs
-	 * matched by the queried ref.
-	 *
-	 * The second loop checks if any of the results of the first loop
-	 * match any negative refspec.
-	 */
-	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
-		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
-		char *expn_name;
-
-		if (refspec->negative)
-			continue;
-
-		/* Note the reversal of src and dst */
-		if (refspec->pattern) {
-			const char *key = refspec->dst ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
-			const char *value = refspec->src;
-
-			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, &expn_name))
-				string_list_append_nodup(&reversed, expn_name);
-		} else if (refspec->matching) {
-			/* For the special matching refspec, any query should match */
-			string_list_append(&reversed, needle);
-		} else if (!refspec->src) {
-			BUG("refspec->src should not be null here");
-		} else if (!strcmp(needle, refspec->src)) {
-			string_list_append(&reversed, refspec->src);
-		}
-	}
-
-	for (i = 0; !matched_negative && i < reversed.nr; i++) {
-		if (omit_name_by_refspec(reversed.items[i].string, rs))
-			matched_negative = 1;
-	}
-
-	string_list_clear(&reversed, 0);
-
-	return matched_negative;
-}
-
-static void query_refspecs_multiple(struct refspec *rs,
-				    struct refspec_item *query,
-				    struct string_list *results)
-{
-	int i;
-	int find_src = !query->src;
-
-	if (find_src && !query->dst)
-		BUG("query_refspecs_multiple: need either src or dst");
-
-	if (query_matches_negative_refspec(rs, query))
-		return;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
-		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
-		const char *key = find_src ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
-		const char *value = find_src ? refspec->src : refspec->dst;
-		const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
-		char **result = find_src ? &query->src : &query->dst;
-
-		if (!refspec->dst || refspec->negative)
-			continue;
-		if (refspec->pattern) {
-			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, result))
-				string_list_append_nodup(results, *result);
-		} else if (!strcmp(needle, key)) {
-			string_list_append(results, value);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-int query_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query)
-{
-	int i;
-	int find_src = !query->src;
-	const char *needle = find_src ? query->dst : query->src;
-	char **result = find_src ? &query->src : &query->dst;
-
-	if (find_src && !query->dst)
-		BUG("query_refspecs: need either src or dst");
-
-	if (query_matches_negative_refspec(rs, query))
-		return -1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < rs->nr; i++) {
-		struct refspec_item *refspec = &rs->items[i];
-		const char *key = find_src ? refspec->dst : refspec->src;
-		const char *value = find_src ? refspec->src : refspec->dst;
-
-		if (!refspec->dst || refspec->negative)
-			continue;
-		if (refspec->pattern) {
-			if (match_name_with_pattern(key, needle, value, result)) {
-				query->force = refspec->force;
-				return 0;
-			}
-		} else if (!strcmp(needle, key)) {
-			*result = xstrdup(value);
-			query->force = refspec->force;
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-	return -1;
-}
-
 char *apply_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, const char *name)
 {
 	struct refspec_item query;
diff --git a/remote.h b/remote.h
index 0d109fa9c9..f3da64dc41 100644
--- a/remote.h
+++ b/remote.h
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@ struct ref *ref_remove_duplicates(struct ref *ref_map);
  */
 struct ref *apply_negative_refspecs(struct ref *ref_map, struct refspec *rs);
 
-int query_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, struct refspec_item *query);
 char *apply_refspecs(struct refspec *rs, const char *name);
 
 int check_push_refs(struct ref *src, struct refspec *rs);
