diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/download.nim b/src/nimblepkg/download.nim
index ea6cff6..1db1096 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/download.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/download.nim
@@ -178,7 +178,9 @@ proc doDownload*(url: string, downloadDir: string, verRange: VersionRange,
       # Grab the full repo.
       doClone(downMethod, url, downloadDir, tip = false)
       # Then perform a checkout operation to get the specified branch/commit.
-      doCheckout(downMethod, downloadDir, $verRange.spe)
+      # `spe` starts with '#', trim it.
+      doAssert(($verRange.spe)[0] == '#')
+      doCheckout(downMethod, downloadDir, substr($verRange.spe, 1))
     result = verRange.spe
   else:
     case downMethod
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim b/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
index 942804b..e85fcd1 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
@@ -72,15 +72,18 @@ proc getNameVersion*(pkgpath: string): tuple[name, version: string] =
   result.name = ""
   result.version = ""
   let tail = pkgpath.splitPath.tail
-  if '-' notin tail:
+
+  const specialSeparator = "-#"
+  var sepIdx = tail.find(specialSeparator)
+  if sepIdx == -1:
+    sepIdx = tail.rfind('-')
+
+  if sepIdx == -1:
     result.name = tail
     return
 
-  for i in countdown(tail.len-1, 0):
-    if tail[i] == '-':
-      result.name = tail[0 .. i-1]
-      result.version = tail[i+1 .. tail.len-1]
-      break
+  result.name = tail[0 .. sepIdx - 1]
+  result.version = tail.substr(sepIdx + 1)
 
 proc optionalField(obj: JsonNode, name: string, default = ""): string =
   ## Queries ``obj`` for the optional ``name`` string.
@@ -501,6 +504,8 @@ when isMainModule:
       ("package-a", "0.1")
   doAssert getNameVersion("/home/user/.nimble/libs/package-#head") ==
       ("package", "#head")
+  doAssert getNameVersion("/home/user/.nimble/libs/package-#branch-with-dashes") ==
+      ("package", "#branch-with-dashes")
 
   doAssert toValidPackageName("foo__bar") == "foo_bar"
   doAssert toValidPackageName("jhbasdh!£$@%#^_&*_()qwe") == "jhbasdh_qwe"
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/version.nim b/src/nimblepkg/version.nim
index 0a70c88..e8803ba 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/version.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/version.nim
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type
     hint*: string
 
 proc newVersion*(ver: string): Version =
-  doAssert(ver[0] in {'#', '\0'} + Digits)
+  doAssert(ver[0] in {'#', '\0'} + Digits, "Wrong version: " & ver)
   return Version(ver)
 
 proc `$`*(ver: Version): string {.borrow.}
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ proc parseVersionRange*(s: string): VersionRange =
 
     else:
       raise newException(ParseVersionError,
-          "Unexpected char in version range: " & s[i])
+          "Unexpected char in version range '" & s & "': " & s[i])
     inc(i)
 
 proc toVersionRange*(ver: Version): VersionRange =