diff --git a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
index 4d2e45ef..32bfdb84 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ def check_tags(app, pattern):
 
         try_init_submodules(app, last_build, vcs)
 
-        hpak = None
         htag = None
         hver = None
         hcode = "0"
@@ -159,25 +158,52 @@ def check_tags(app, pattern):
             logging.debug("Check tag: '{0}'".format(tag))
             vcs.gotorevision(tag)
 
-            for subdir in possible_subdirs(app):
-                if subdir == '.':
-                    root_dir = build_dir
-                else:
-                    root_dir = os.path.join(build_dir, subdir)
-                paths = common.manifest_paths(root_dir, last_build.gradle)
-                version, vercode, package = common.parse_androidmanifests(paths, app)
-                if vercode:
-                    logging.debug("Manifest exists in subdir '{0}'. Found version {1} ({2})"
-                                  .format(subdir, version, vercode))
-                    i_vercode = common.version_code_string_to_int(vercode)
-                    if i_vercode > common.version_code_string_to_int(hcode):
-                        hpak = package
-                        htag = tag
-                        hcode = str(i_vercode)
-                        hver = version
+            if app.UpdateCheckData:
+                filecode, codeex, filever, verex = app.UpdateCheckData.split('|')
+                vercode = None
+                if len(filecode) > 0:
+                    filecontent = open(os.path.join(build_dir, filecode)).read()
+
+                    m = re.search(codeex, filecontent)
+                    if not m:
+                        raise FDroidException("No RE match for version code")
+                    vercode = m.group(1).strip()
+
+                version = "??"
+                if len(filever) > 0:
+                    if filever != '.':
+                        filecontent = open(os.path.join(build_dir, filever)).read()
+
+                    m = re.search(verex, filecontent)
+                    if not m:
+                        raise FDroidException("No RE match for version")
+                    version = m.group(1)
+
+                    if vercode:
+                        logging.debug("UpdateCheckData found version {0} ({1})"
+                                      .format(version, vercode))
+                        i_vercode = common.version_code_string_to_int(vercode)
+                        if i_vercode > common.version_code_string_to_int(hcode):
+                            htag = tag
+                            hcode = str(i_vercode)
+                            hver = version
+            else:
+                for subdir in possible_subdirs(app):
+                    if subdir == '.':
+                        root_dir = build_dir
+                    else:
+                        root_dir = os.path.join(build_dir, subdir)
+                    paths = common.manifest_paths(root_dir, last_build.gradle)
+                    version, vercode, package = common.parse_androidmanifests(paths, app)
+                    if vercode:
+                        logging.debug("Manifest exists in subdir '{0}'. Found version {1} ({2})"
+                                      .format(subdir, version, vercode))
+                        i_vercode = common.version_code_string_to_int(vercode)
+                        if i_vercode > common.version_code_string_to_int(hcode):
+                            htag = tag
+                            hcode = str(i_vercode)
+                            hver = version
 
-        if not hpak:
-            return (None, "Couldn't find package ID", None)
         if hver:
             return (hver, hcode, htag)
         return (None, "Couldn't find any version information", None)
@@ -240,9 +266,10 @@ def check_repomanifest(app, branch=None):
             if vercode:
                 logging.debug("Manifest exists in subdir '{0}'. Found version {1} ({2})"
                               .format(subdir, version, vercode))
-                if int(vercode) > int(hcode):
+                i_vercode = common.version_code_string_to_int(vercode)
+                if i_vercode > common.version_code_string_to_int(hcode):
                     hpak = package
-                    hcode = str(int(vercode))
+                    hcode = str(i_vercode)
                     hver = version
 
         if not hpak:
diff --git a/tests/checkupdates.TestCase b/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
index 87ccdb99..2f44f235 100755
--- a/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
+++ b/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
@@ -186,6 +186,27 @@ class CheckupdatesTest(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(vername, None)
             self.assertEqual(vercode, 'Version 1.1.9-beta is ignored')
 
+    def test_check_tags_data(self):
+        fdroidserver.checkupdates.options = mock.Mock()
+
+        app = fdroidserver.metadata.App()
+        app.id = 'loop.starts.shooting'
+        app.metadatapath = 'metadata/' + app.id + '.yml'
+        app.RepoType = 'git'
+        app.CurrentVersionCode = 10108
+        app.UpdateCheckMode = 'Tags'
+        app.UpdateCheckData = 'b.txt|c(.*)|e.txt|v(.*)'
+
+        vcs = mock.Mock()
+        vcs.latesttags.return_value = ['1.1.8', '1.1.9']
+        with mock.patch(
+            'builtins.open', mock.mock_open(read_data='v1.1.9\nc10109')
+        ) as _ignored, mock.patch('fdroidserver.common.getvcs', return_value=vcs):
+            _ignored  # silence the linters
+            vername, vercode, tag = fdroidserver.checkupdates.check_tags(app, None)
+            self.assertEqual(vername, '1.1.9')
+            self.assertEqual(vercode, '10109')
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     os.chdir(os.path.dirname(__file__))