diff --git a/tools/patman/patchstream.py b/tools/patman/patchstream.py
index 1e4a36f1dd5..bed921d06fd 100644
--- a/tools/patman/patchstream.py
+++ b/tools/patman/patchstream.py
@@ -237,7 +237,8 @@ class PatchStream:
         # Detect the start of a new commit
         elif commit_match:
             self.CloseCommit()
-            self.commit = commit.Commit(commit_match.group(1)[:7])
+            # TODO: We should store the whole hash, and just display a subset
+            self.commit = commit.Commit(commit_match.group(1)[:8])
 
         # Detect tags in the commit message
         elif tag_match:
@@ -334,6 +335,35 @@ class PatchStream:
         self.Finalize()
 
 
+def GetMetaDataForList(commit_range, git_dir=None, count=None,
+                       series = Series()):
+    """Reads out patch series metadata from the commits
+
+    This does a 'git log' on the relevant commits and pulls out the tags we
+    are interested in.
+
+    Args:
+        commit_range: Range of commits to count (e.g. 'HEAD..base')
+        git_dir: Path to git repositiory (None to use default)
+        count: Number of commits to list, or None for no limit
+        series: Series object to add information into. By default a new series
+            is started.
+    Returns:
+        A Series object containing information about the commits.
+    """
+    params = ['git', 'log', '--no-color', '--reverse', commit_range]
+    if count is not None:
+        params[2:2] = ['-n%d' % count]
+    if git_dir:
+        params[1:1] = ['--git-dir', git_dir]
+    pipe = [params]
+    stdout = command.RunPipe(pipe, capture=True).stdout
+    ps = PatchStream(series, is_log=True)
+    for line in stdout.splitlines():
+        ps.ProcessLine(line)
+    ps.Finalize()
+    return series
+
 def GetMetaData(start, count):
     """Reads out patch series metadata from the commits
 
@@ -344,15 +374,7 @@ def GetMetaData(start, count):
         start: Commit to start from: 0=HEAD, 1=next one, etc.
         count: Number of commits to list
     """
-    pipe = [['git', 'log', '--no-color', '--reverse', 'HEAD~%d' % start,
-	'-n%d' % count]]
-    stdout = command.RunPipe(pipe, capture=True).stdout
-    series = Series()
-    ps = PatchStream(series, is_log=True)
-    for line in stdout.splitlines():
-        ps.ProcessLine(line)
-    ps.Finalize()
-    return series
+    return GetMetaDataForList('HEAD~%d' % start, None, count)
 
 def FixPatch(backup_dir, fname, series, commit):
     """Fix up a patch file, by adding/removing as required.