diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index fe22125aa..fd3441b04 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2367,6 +2367,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gitbutler-reference",
  "gitbutler-testsupport",
  "gitbutler-time",
+ "gitbutler-url",
  "gitbutler-user",
  "log",
  "resolve-path",
@@ -2421,6 +2422,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gitbutler-oplog",
  "gitbutler-project",
  "gitbutler-reference",
+ "gitbutler-url",
  "gitbutler-user",
  "itertools 0.13.0",
  "tracing",
@@ -2498,6 +2500,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gitbutler-reference",
  "gitbutler-repo",
  "gitbutler-storage",
+ "gitbutler-url",
  "gitbutler-user",
  "gitbutler-virtual",
  "keyring",
@@ -2511,6 +2514,15 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "gitbutler-time"
 version = "0.0.0"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "gitbutler-url"
+version = "0.0.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "bstr",
+ "thiserror",
+ "url",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "gitbutler-user"
 version = "0.0.0"
@@ -2551,6 +2563,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gitbutler-serde",
  "gitbutler-testsupport",
  "gitbutler-time",
+ "gitbutler-url",
  "gitbutler-user",
  "glob",
  "hex",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 2e274eca3..0f35e3987 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ members = [
     "crates/gitbutler-fs",
     "crates/gitbutler-time", 
     "crates/gitbutler-commit", 
-    "crates/gitbutler-tagged-string",
+    "crates/gitbutler-tagged-string", 
+    "crates/gitbutler-url",
 ]
 resolver = "2"
 
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ gitbutler-fs = { path = "crates/gitbutler-fs" }
 gitbutler-time = { path = "crates/gitbutler-time" }
 gitbutler-commit = { path = "crates/gitbutler-commit" }
 gitbutler-tagged-string = { path = "crates/gitbutler-tagged-string" }
+gitbutler-url = { path = "crates/gitbutler-url" }
 
 [profile.release]
 codegen-units = 1 # Compile crates one after another so the compiler can optimize better
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/mod.rs b/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/mod.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index f93696f54..000000000
--- a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/mod.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-mod url;
-pub use self::url::*;
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/gitbutler-core/src/lib.rs
index 1d8b87b9b..8dd6eeb9e 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,5 @@
     clippy::too_many_lines
 )]
 
-pub mod git;
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 pub mod windows;
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-repo/Cargo.toml b/crates/gitbutler-repo/Cargo.toml
index 2a598378c..6491ffd5e 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-repo/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-repo/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ gitbutler-error.workspace = true
 gitbutler-id.workspace = true
 gitbutler-time.workspace = true
 gitbutler-commit.workspace = true
+gitbutler-url.workspace = true
 
 [[test]]
 name="repo"
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/credentials.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/credentials.rs
index e5139eccb..ffa4f0fe8 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/credentials.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/credentials.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ use anyhow::Context;
 
 use gitbutler_command_context::ProjectRepository;
 
-use gitbutler_core::git::Url;
 use gitbutler_project::AuthKey;
 
+use gitbutler_url::{ConvertError, Scheme, Url};
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum SshCredential {
     Keyfile {
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ pub enum HelpError {
     #[error("no url set for remote")]
     NoUrlSet,
     #[error("failed to convert url: {0}")]
-    UrlConvertError(#[from] gitbutler_core::git::ConvertError),
+    UrlConvertError(#[from] ConvertError),
     #[error(transparent)]
     Git(#[from] git2::Error),
     #[error(transparent)]
@@ -92,13 +93,13 @@ impl Helper {
             .context("failed to parse remote url")?;
 
         // if file, no auth needed.
-        if remote_url.scheme == gitbutler_core::git::Scheme::File {
+        if remote_url.scheme == Scheme::File {
             return Ok(vec![(remote, vec![Credential::Noop])]);
         }
 
         match &project_repository.project().preferred_key {
             AuthKey::Local { private_key_path } => {
-                let ssh_remote = if remote_url.scheme == gitbutler_core::git::Scheme::Ssh {
+                let ssh_remote = if remote_url.scheme == Scheme::Ssh {
                     Ok(remote)
                 } else {
                     let ssh_url = remote_url.as_ssh()?;
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ impl Helper {
                 )])
             }
             AuthKey::GitCredentialsHelper => {
-                let https_remote = if remote_url.scheme == gitbutler_core::git::Scheme::Https {
+                let https_remote = if remote_url.scheme == Scheme::Https {
                     Ok(remote)
                 } else {
                     let url = remote_url.as_https()?;
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ impl Helper {
 
     fn https_flow(
         project_repository: &ProjectRepository,
-        remote_url: &gitbutler_core::git::Url,
+        remote_url: &Url,
     ) -> Result<Vec<HttpsCredential>, HelpError> {
         let mut flow = vec![];
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/convert.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/convert.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/convert.rs
rename to crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/convert.rs
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/mod.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/mod.rs
similarity index 98%
rename from crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/mod.rs
rename to crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/mod.rs
index e11b7f81a..4d8a25fb7 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/mod.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use std::str::FromStr;
 
 use bstr::ByteSlice;
 pub use convert::ConvertError;
-pub use parse::Error as ParseError;
+// pub use parse::Error as ParseError;
 pub use scheme::Scheme;
 
 #[derive(Default, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, thiserror::Error)]
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/parse.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/parse.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/parse.rs
rename to crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/parse.rs
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/scheme.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/scheme.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/gitbutler-core/src/git/url/scheme.rs
rename to crates/gitbutler-repo/src/giturl/scheme.rs
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/repository.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/repository.rs
index 3696afe3b..2aa5e7a61 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/repository.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/repository.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
 use gitbutler_branch::branch::{Branch, BranchId};
 use gitbutler_command_context::ProjectRepository;
 use gitbutler_commit::commit_headers::CommitHeadersV2;
-use gitbutler_core::git;
 use gitbutler_error::error::Code;
 use gitbutler_reference::{Refname, RemoteRefname};
 
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ impl RepoActions for ProjectRepository {
         for (mut remote, callbacks) in auth_flows {
             if let Some(url) = remote.url() {
                 if !self.project().omit_certificate_check.unwrap_or(false) {
-                    let git_url = git::Url::from_str(url)?;
+                    let git_url = gitbutler_url::Url::from_str(url)?;
                     ssh::check_known_host(&git_url).context("failed to check known host")?;
                 }
             }
@@ -386,7 +385,7 @@ impl RepoActions for ProjectRepository {
         for (mut remote, callbacks) in auth_flows {
             if let Some(url) = remote.url() {
                 if !self.project().omit_certificate_check.unwrap_or(false) {
-                    let git_url = git::Url::from_str(url)?;
+                    let git_url = gitbutler_url::Url::from_str(url)?;
                     ssh::check_known_host(&git_url).context("failed to check known host")?;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/ssh.rs b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/ssh.rs
index 26761f2db..1247434e7 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/ssh.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-repo/src/ssh.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ use std::{env, fs, path::Path};
 
 use ssh2::{CheckResult, KnownHostFileKind};
 
-use gitbutler_core::git;
-
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
 pub enum Error {
     #[error(transparent)]
@@ -16,8 +14,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     Failure,
 }
 
-pub fn check_known_host(remote_url: &git::Url) -> Result<(), Error> {
-    if remote_url.scheme != git::Scheme::Ssh {
+pub fn check_known_host(remote_url: &gitbutler_url::Url) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if remote_url.scheme != gitbutler_url::Scheme::Ssh {
         return Ok(());
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-sync/Cargo.toml b/crates/gitbutler-sync/Cargo.toml
index 95cc7edb3..d44ecf14f 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-sync/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-sync/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ gitbutler-branch.workspace = true
 gitbutler-reference.workspace = true
 gitbutler-error.workspace = true
 gitbutler-id.workspace = true
+gitbutler-url.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-sync/src/cloud.rs b/crates/gitbutler-sync/src/cloud.rs
index b9dd959c8..cf607a6fe 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-sync/src/cloud.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-sync/src/cloud.rs
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
 use gitbutler_branch::target::Target;
 use gitbutler_branchstate::VirtualBranchesAccess;
 use gitbutler_command_context::ProjectRepository;
-use gitbutler_core::git::Url;
 use gitbutler_error::error::Code;
 use gitbutler_id::id::Id;
 use gitbutler_oplog::oplog::Oplog;
 use gitbutler_project as projects;
 use gitbutler_project::{CodePushState, Project};
 use gitbutler_reference::Refname;
+use gitbutler_url::Url;
 use gitbutler_user as users;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/Cargo.toml b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/Cargo.toml
index 7b04428ed..05e59a94f 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ gitbutler-user.workspace = true
 gitbutler-branch.workspace = true
 gitbutler-reference.workspace = true
 gitbutler-storage.workspace = true
+gitbutler-url.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/test_project.rs b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/test_project.rs
index c4c7b6e99..64f2365c7 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/test_project.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/test_project.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::{fs, path};
 
-use gitbutler_core::git;
 use gitbutler_reference::{LocalRefname, Refname};
 use gitbutler_repo::RepositoryExt;
 use tempfile::TempDir;
@@ -371,7 +370,7 @@ impl TestProject {
             .expect("failed to read references")
     }
 
-    pub fn add_submodule(&self, url: &git::Url, path: &path::Path) {
+    pub fn add_submodule(&self, url: &gitbutler_url::Url, path: &path::Path) {
         let mut submodule = self
             .local_repository
             .submodule(&url.to_string(), path.as_ref(), false)
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-url/Cargo.toml b/crates/gitbutler-url/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02dd24aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-url/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[package]
+name = "gitbutler-url"
+version = "0.0.0"
+edition = "2021"
+authors = ["GitButler <gitbutler@gitbutler.com>"]
+publish = false
+
+[dependencies]
+url = { version = "2.5.2", features = ["serde"] }
+thiserror.workspace = true
+bstr = "1.9.1"
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-url/src/convert.rs b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/convert.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19c31ffd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/convert.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+use bstr::ByteSlice;
+
+use super::{Scheme, Url};
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ConvertError {
+    #[error("Could not convert {from} to {to}")]
+    UnsupportedPair { from: Scheme, to: Scheme },
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn to_https_url(url: &Url) -> Result<Url, ConvertError> {
+    match url.scheme {
+        Scheme::Https => Ok(url.clone()),
+        Scheme::Http => Ok(Url {
+            scheme: Scheme::Https,
+            ..url.clone()
+        }),
+        Scheme::Ssh => Ok(Url {
+            scheme: Scheme::Https,
+            user: None,
+            serialize_alternative_form: true,
+            path: if url.path.starts_with(&[b'/']) {
+                url.path.clone()
+            } else {
+                format!("/{}", url.path.to_str().unwrap()).into()
+            },
+            ..url.clone()
+        }),
+        _ => Err(ConvertError::UnsupportedPair {
+            from: url.scheme.clone(),
+            to: Scheme::Ssh,
+        }),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn to_ssh_url(url: &Url) -> Result<Url, ConvertError> {
+    match url.scheme {
+        Scheme::Ssh => Ok(url.clone()),
+        Scheme::Http | Scheme::Https => Ok(Url {
+            scheme: Scheme::Ssh,
+            user: Some("git".to_string()),
+            serialize_alternative_form: true,
+            path: if url.path.starts_with(&[b'/']) {
+                url.path.trim_start_with(|c| c == '/').into()
+            } else {
+                url.path.clone()
+            },
+            ..url.clone()
+        }),
+        _ => Err(ConvertError::UnsupportedPair {
+            from: url.scheme.clone(),
+            to: Scheme::Ssh,
+        }),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn to_https_url_test() {
+        for (input, expected) in [
+            (
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "http://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "git@github.com:gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "ssh://git@github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "git@bitbucket.org:gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+                "https://bitbucket.org/gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "https://bitbucket.org/gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+                "https://bitbucket.org/gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+            ),
+        ] {
+            let url = input.parse().unwrap();
+            let https_url = to_https_url(&url).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(https_url.to_string(), expected, "test case {}", url);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn to_ssh_url_test() {
+        for (input, expected) in [
+            (
+                "git@github.com:gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "git@github.com:gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "git@github.com:gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "git@github.com:gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "ssh://git@github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+                "ssh://git@github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "https://bitbucket.org/gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+                "git@bitbucket.org:gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+            ),
+            (
+                "git@bitbucket.org:gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+                "git@bitbucket.org:gitbutler-nikita/test.git",
+            ),
+        ] {
+            let url = input.parse().unwrap();
+            let ssh_url = to_ssh_url(&url).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(ssh_url.to_string(), expected, "test case {}", url);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-url/src/lib.rs b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d8a25fb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+mod convert;
+mod parse;
+mod scheme;
+
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
+use bstr::ByteSlice;
+pub use convert::ConvertError;
+// pub use parse::Error as ParseError;
+pub use scheme::Scheme;
+
+#[derive(Default, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub struct Url {
+    /// The URL scheme.
+    pub scheme: Scheme,
+    /// The user to impersonate on the remote.
+    user: Option<String>,
+    /// The password associated with a user.
+    password: Option<String>,
+    /// The host to which to connect. Localhost is implied if `None`.
+    pub host: Option<String>,
+    /// When serializing, use the alternative forms as it was parsed as such.
+    serialize_alternative_form: bool,
+    /// The port to use when connecting to a host. If `None`, standard ports depending on `scheme` will be used.
+    pub port: Option<u16>,
+    /// The path portion of the URL, usually the location of the git repository.
+    pub path: bstr::BString,
+}
+
+impl Url {
+    pub fn is_github(&self) -> bool {
+        self.host
+            .as_ref()
+            .map_or(false, |host| host.contains("github.com"))
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for Url {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        if !(self.serialize_alternative_form
+            && (self.scheme == Scheme::File || self.scheme == Scheme::Ssh))
+        {
+            f.write_str(self.scheme.as_str())?;
+            f.write_str("://")?;
+        }
+        match (&self.user, &self.host) {
+            (Some(user), Some(host)) => {
+                f.write_str(user)?;
+                if let Some(password) = &self.password {
+                    f.write_str(":")?;
+                    f.write_str(password)?;
+                }
+                f.write_str("@")?;
+                f.write_str(host)?;
+            }
+            (None, Some(host)) => {
+                f.write_str(host)?;
+            }
+            (None, None) => {}
+            (Some(_user), None) => {
+                unreachable!("BUG: should not be possible to have a user but no host")
+            }
+        };
+        if let Some(port) = &self.port {
+            f.write_str(&format!(":{}", port))?;
+        }
+        if self.serialize_alternative_form && self.scheme == Scheme::Ssh {
+            f.write_str(":")?;
+        }
+        f.write_str(self.path.to_str().unwrap())?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+impl Url {
+    pub fn as_ssh(&self) -> Result<Self, ConvertError> {
+        convert::to_ssh_url(self)
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_https(&self) -> Result<Self, ConvertError> {
+        convert::to_https_url(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl FromStr for Url {
+    type Err = parse::Error;
+
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        parse::parse(s.as_bytes().into())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-url/src/parse.rs b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/parse.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..676f9d6d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/parse.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
+use bstr::{BStr, BString, ByteSlice};
+
+use super::{Scheme, Url};
+
+/// The Error returned by [`parse()`]
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum Error {
+    #[error("Could not decode URL as UTF8")]
+    Utf8(#[from] std::str::Utf8Error),
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    Url(#[from] url::ParseError),
+    #[error("URLs need to specify the path to the repository")]
+    MissingResourceLocation,
+    #[error("file URLs require an absolute or relative path to the repository")]
+    MissingRepositoryPath,
+    #[error("\"{url}\" is not a valid local path")]
+    NotALocalFile { url: BString },
+    #[error("Relative URLs are not permitted: {url:?}")]
+    RelativeUrl { url: String },
+}
+
+fn str_to_protocol(s: &str) -> Scheme {
+    Scheme::from(s)
+}
+
+fn guess_protocol(url: &[u8]) -> Option<&str> {
+    match url.find_byte(b':') {
+        Some(colon_pos) => {
+            if url[..colon_pos].find_byteset(b"@.").is_some() {
+                "ssh"
+            } else {
+                url.get(colon_pos + 1..).and_then(|from_colon| {
+                    (from_colon.contains(&b'/') || from_colon.contains(&b'\\')).then_some("file")
+                })?
+            }
+        }
+        None => "file",
+    }
+    .into()
+}
+
+/// Extract the path part from an SCP-like URL `[user@]host.xz:path/to/repo.git/`
+fn extract_scp_path(url: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+    url.splitn(2, ':').last()
+}
+
+fn sanitize_for_protocol<'a>(protocol: &str, url: &'a str) -> Cow<'a, str> {
+    match protocol {
+        "ssh" => url.replacen(':', "/", 1).into(),
+        _ => url.into(),
+    }
+}
+
+fn has_no_explicit_protocol(url: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    url.find(b"://").is_none()
+}
+
+fn to_owned_url(url: &url::Url) -> Url {
+    let password = url.password();
+    Url {
+        serialize_alternative_form: false,
+        scheme: str_to_protocol(url.scheme()),
+        password: password.map(ToOwned::to_owned),
+        user: if url.username().is_empty() && password.is_none() {
+            None
+        } else {
+            Some(url.username().into())
+        },
+        host: url.host_str().map(Into::into),
+        port: url.port(),
+        path: url.path().into(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Parse the given `bytes` as git url.
+///
+/// # Note
+///
+/// We cannot and should never have to deal with UTF-16 encoded windows strings, so bytes input is acceptable.
+/// For file-paths, we don't expect UTF8 encoding either.
+pub fn parse(input: &BStr) -> Result<Url, Error> {
+    let guessed_protocol =
+        guess_protocol(input).ok_or_else(|| Error::NotALocalFile { url: input.into() })?;
+    let path_without_file_protocol = input.strip_prefix(b"file://");
+    if path_without_file_protocol.is_some()
+        || (has_no_explicit_protocol(input) && guessed_protocol == "file")
+    {
+        let path =
+            path_without_file_protocol.map_or_else(|| input.into(), |stripped_path| stripped_path);
+        if path.is_empty() {
+            return Err(Error::MissingRepositoryPath);
+        }
+        let input_starts_with_file_protocol = input.starts_with(b"file://");
+        if input_starts_with_file_protocol {
+            let wanted = &[b'/'];
+            if !wanted.iter().any(|w| path.contains(w)) {
+                return Err(Error::MissingRepositoryPath);
+            }
+        }
+        return Ok(Url {
+            scheme: Scheme::File,
+            path: path.into(),
+            serialize_alternative_form: !input_starts_with_file_protocol,
+            ..Default::default()
+        });
+    }
+
+    let url_str = std::str::from_utf8(input)?;
+    let (mut url, mut scp_path) = match url::Url::parse(url_str) {
+        Ok(url) => (url, None),
+        Err(url::ParseError::RelativeUrlWithoutBase) => {
+            // happens with bare paths as well as scp like paths. The latter contain a ':' past the host portion,
+            // which we are trying to detect.
+            (
+                url::Url::parse(&format!(
+                    "{}://{}",
+                    guessed_protocol,
+                    sanitize_for_protocol(guessed_protocol, url_str)
+                ))?,
+                extract_scp_path(url_str),
+            )
+        }
+        Err(err) => return Err(err.into()),
+    };
+    // SCP like URLs without user parse as 'something' with the scheme being the 'host'. Hosts always have dots.
+    if url.scheme().find('.').is_some() {
+        // try again with prefixed protocol
+        url = url::Url::parse(&format!("ssh://{}", sanitize_for_protocol("ssh", url_str)))?;
+        scp_path = extract_scp_path(url_str);
+    }
+    if url.path().is_empty() && ["ssh", "git"].contains(&url.scheme()) {
+        return Err(Error::MissingResourceLocation);
+    }
+    if url.cannot_be_a_base() {
+        return Err(Error::RelativeUrl { url: url.into() });
+    }
+
+    let mut url = to_owned_url(&url);
+    if let Some(path) = scp_path {
+        url.path = path.into();
+        url.serialize_alternative_form = true;
+    }
+    Ok(url)
+}
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-url/src/scheme.rs b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/scheme.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31239b5e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-url/src/scheme.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/// A scheme or protocol for use in a [`Url`][super::Url].
+///
+/// It defines how to talk to a given repository.
+#[derive(Default, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Hash, Ord, PartialOrd, Clone)]
+pub enum Scheme {
+    /// A local resource that is accessible on the current host.
+    File,
+    /// A git daemon, like `File` over TCP/IP.
+    Git,
+    /// Launch `git-upload-pack` through an `ssh` tunnel.
+    #[default]
+    Ssh,
+    /// Use the HTTP protocol to talk to git servers.
+    Http,
+    /// Use the HTTPS protocol to talk to git servers.
+    Https,
+    /// Any other protocol or transport that isn't known at compile time.
+    ///
+    /// It's used to support plug-in transports.
+    Ext(String),
+}
+
+impl<'a> From<&'a str> for Scheme {
+    fn from(value: &'a str) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            "ssh" => Scheme::Ssh,
+            "file" => Scheme::File,
+            "git" => Scheme::Git,
+            "http" => Scheme::Http,
+            "https" => Scheme::Https,
+            unknown => Scheme::Ext(unknown.into()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Scheme {
+    /// Return ourselves parseable name.
+    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+        match self {
+            Self::File => "file",
+            Self::Git => "git",
+            Self::Ssh => "ssh",
+            Self::Http => "http",
+            Self::Https => "https",
+            Self::Ext(name) => name.as_str(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for Scheme {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.write_str(self.as_str())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/Cargo.toml b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/Cargo.toml
index 6852210aa..79b7f4358 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ gitbutler-serde.workspace = true
 gitbutler-id.workspace = true
 gitbutler-time.workspace = true
 gitbutler-commit.workspace = true
+gitbutler-url.workspace = true
 serde = { workspace = true, features = ["std"]}
 bstr = "1.9.1"
 diffy = "0.3.0"
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
index 9f5be12b5..5bd05fb4f 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
@@ -189,7 +189,8 @@ async fn submodule() {
     } = &Test::default();
 
     let test_project = TestProject::default();
-    let submodule_url: git::Url = test_project.path().display().to_string().parse().unwrap();
+    let submodule_url: gitbutler_url::Url =
+        test_project.path().display().to_string().parse().unwrap();
     repository.add_submodule(&submodule_url, path::Path::new("submodule"));
 
     controller
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
index 9a43afc79..83a7fffdf 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-virtual/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::{fs, path, str::FromStr};
 
 use gitbutler_branch::branch;
-use gitbutler_core::git;
 use gitbutler_error::error::Marker;
 use gitbutler_project::{self as projects, Project, ProjectId};
 use gitbutler_reference::Refname;