diff --git a/meta/classes/metadata_scm.bbclass b/meta/classes/metadata_scm.bbclass
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..237e618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/classes/metadata_scm.bbclass
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+METADATA_BRANCH ?= "${@base_detect_branch(d)}"
+METADATA_REVISION ?= "${@base_detect_revision(d)}"
+
+def base_detect_revision(d):
+    path = base_get_scmbasepath(d)
+
+    scms = [base_get_metadata_git_revision, \
+            base_get_metadata_svn_revision]
+
+    for scm in scms:
+        rev = scm(path, d)
+        if rev != "<unknown>":
+            return rev
+
+    return "<unknown>"
+
+def base_detect_branch(d):
+    path = base_get_scmbasepath(d)
+
+    scms = [base_get_metadata_git_branch]
+
+    for scm in scms:
+        rev = scm(path, d)
+        if rev != "<unknown>":
+            return rev.strip()
+
+    return "<unknown>"
+
+def base_get_scmbasepath(d):
+    return d.getVar( 'COREBASE', True)
+
+def base_get_metadata_monotone_branch(path, d):
+    monotone_branch = "<unknown>"
+    try:
+        with open("%s/_MTN/options" % path) as f:
+            monotone_branch = f.read().strip()
+            if monotone_branch.startswith( "database" ):
+                monotone_branch_words = monotone_branch.split()
+                monotone_branch = monotone_branch_words[ monotone_branch_words.index( "branch" )+1][1:-1]
+    except:
+        pass
+    return monotone_branch
+
+def base_get_metadata_monotone_revision(path, d):
+    monotone_revision = "<unknown>"
+    try:
+        with open("%s/_MTN/revision" % path) as f:
+            monotone_revision = f.read().strip()
+            if monotone_revision.startswith( "format_version" ):
+                monotone_revision_words = monotone_revision.split()
+                monotone_revision = monotone_revision_words[ monotone_revision_words.index( "old_revision" )+1][1:-1]
+    except IOError:
+        pass
+    return monotone_revision
+
+def base_get_metadata_svn_revision(path, d):
+    # This only works with older subversion. For newer versions 
+    # this function will need to be fixed by someone interested
+    revision = "<unknown>"
+    try:
+        with open("%s/.svn/entries" % path) as f:
+            revision = f.readlines()[3].strip()
+    except (IOError, IndexError):
+        pass
+    return revision
+
+def base_get_metadata_git_branch(path, d):
+    branch = os.popen('cd %s; git branch 2>&1 | grep "^* " | tr -d "* "' % path).read()
+
+    if len(branch) != 0:
+        return branch
+    return "<unknown>"
+
+def base_get_metadata_git_revision(path, d):
+    f = os.popen("cd %s; git log -n 1 --pretty=oneline -- 2>&1" % path)
+    data = f.read()
+    if f.close() is None:        
+        rev = data.split(" ")[0]
+        if len(rev) != 0:
+            return rev
+    return "<unknown>"
+