diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/svn.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/svn.py
index 9a779d2448..123aa136eb 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/svn.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/svn.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 import logging
 import bb
+import re
 from   bb import data
 from   bb.fetch2 import FetchMethod
 from   bb.fetch2 import FetchError
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ class Svn(FetchMethod):
 
         if command == "info":
             svncmd = "%s info %s %s://%s/%s/" % (ud.basecmd, " ".join(options), proto, svnroot, ud.module)
+        elif command == "log1":
+            svncmd = "%s log --limit 1 %s %s://%s/%s/" % (ud.basecmd, " ".join(options), proto, svnroot, ud.module)
         else:
             suffix = ""
             if ud.revision:
@@ -167,14 +170,13 @@ class Svn(FetchMethod):
         """
         Return the latest upstream revision number
         """
-        bb.fetch2.check_network_access(d, self._buildsvncommand(ud, d, "info"))
+        bb.fetch2.check_network_access(d, self._buildsvncommand(ud, d, "log1"))
 
-        output = runfetchcmd("LANG=C LC_ALL=C " + self._buildsvncommand(ud, d, "info"), d, True)
+        output = runfetchcmd("LANG=C LC_ALL=C " + self._buildsvncommand(ud, d, "log1"), d, True)
 
-        revision = None
-        for line in output.splitlines():
-            if "Last Changed Rev" in line:
-                revision = line.split(":")[1].strip()
+        # skip the first line, as per output of svn log
+        # then we expect the revision on the 2nd line
+        revision = re.search('^r([0-9]*)', output.splitlines()[1]).group(1)
 
         return revision