diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/Api.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/Api.php
index 1e28b65..018ded4 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/Api.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/Api.php
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Api') ):
 
 	abstract class Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Api {
+		const STRATEGY_LATEST_RELEASE = 'latest_release';
+		const STRATEGY_LATEST_TAG = 'latest_tag';
+		const STRATEGY_STABLE_TAG = 'stable_tag';
+		const STRATEGY_BRANCH = 'branch';
+
 		protected $tagNameProperty = 'name';
 		protected $slug = '';
 
@@ -21,6 +26,12 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Api') ):
 		 */
 		protected $httpFilterName = '';
 
+		/**
+		 * @var string The filter applied to the list of update detection strategies that
+		 * are used to find the latest version.
+		 */
+		protected $strategyFilterName = '';
+
 		/**
 		 * @var string|null
 		 */
@@ -45,12 +56,41 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Api') ):
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Figure out which reference (i.e tag or branch) contains the latest version.
+		 * Figure out which reference (i.e. tag or branch) contains the latest version.
 		 *
 		 * @param string $configBranch Start looking in this branch.
 		 * @return null|Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Reference
 		 */
-		abstract public function chooseReference($configBranch);
+		public function chooseReference($configBranch) {
+			$strategies = $this->getUpdateDetectionStrategies($configBranch);
+
+			if ( !empty($this->strategyFilterName) ) {
+				$strategies = apply_filters(
+					$this->strategyFilterName,
+					$strategies,
+					$this->slug
+				);
+			}
+
+			foreach ($strategies as $strategy) {
+				$reference = call_user_func($strategy);
+				if ( !empty($reference) ) {
+					return $reference;
+				}
+			}
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Get an ordered list of strategies that can be used to find the latest version.
+		 *
+		 * The update checker will try each strategy in order until one of them
+		 * returns a valid reference.
+		 *
+		 * @param string $configBranch
+		 * @return array<callable> Array of callables that return Vcs_Reference objects.
+		 */
+		abstract protected function getUpdateDetectionStrategies($configBranch);
 
 		/**
 		 * Get the readme.txt file from the remote repository and parse it
@@ -280,6 +320,13 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Api') ):
 			$this->httpFilterName = $filterName;
 		}
 
+		/**
+		 * @param string $filterName
+		 */
+		public function setStrategyFilterName($filterName) {
+			$this->strategyFilterName = $filterName;
+		}
+
 		/**
 		 * @param string $directory
 		 */
diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/BitBucketApi.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/BitBucketApi.php
index 1092b40..93f0996 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/BitBucketApi.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/BitBucketApi.php
@@ -29,28 +29,21 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_BitBucketApi', false) ):
 			parent::__construct($repositoryUrl, $credentials);
 		}
 
-		/**
-		 * Figure out which reference (i.e tag or branch) contains the latest version.
-		 *
-		 * @param string $configBranch Start looking in this branch.
-		 * @return null|Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Reference
-		 */
-		public function chooseReference($configBranch) {
-			$updateSource = null;
+		protected function getUpdateDetectionStrategies($configBranch) {
+			$strategies = array(
+				self::STRATEGY_STABLE_TAG => function () use ($configBranch) {
+					return $this->getStableTag($configBranch);
+				},
+			);
 
-			//Check if there's a "Stable tag: 1.2.3" header that points to a valid tag.
-			$updateSource = $this->getStableTag($configBranch);
-
-			//Look for version-like tags.
-			if ( !$updateSource && ($configBranch === 'master' || $configBranch === 'main') ) {
-				$updateSource = $this->getLatestTag();
-			}
-			//If all else fails, use the specified branch itself.
-			if ( !$updateSource ) {
-				$updateSource = $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+			if ( ($configBranch === 'master' || $configBranch === 'main') ) {
+				$strategies[self::STRATEGY_LATEST_TAG] = array($this, 'getLatestTag');
 			}
 
-			return $updateSource;
+			$strategies[self::STRATEGY_BRANCH] = function () use ($configBranch) {
+				return $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+			};
+			return $strategies;
 		}
 
 		public function getBranch($branchName) {
@@ -261,7 +254,7 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_BitBucketApi', false) ):
 
 		public function signDownloadUrl($url) {
 			//Add authentication data to download URLs. Since OAuth signatures incorporate
-			//timestamps, we have to do this immediately before inserting the update. Otherwise
+			//timestamps, we have to do this immediately before inserting the update. Otherwise,
 			//authentication could fail due to a stale timestamp.
 			if ( $this->oauth ) {
 				$url = $this->oauth->sign($url);
diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitHubApi.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitHubApi.php
index 0fb0b05..ba9ee2b 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitHubApi.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitHubApi.php
@@ -310,29 +310,22 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_GitHubApi', false) ):
 			add_filter('upgrader_pre_download', array($this, 'addHttpRequestFilter'), 10, 1); //WP 3.7+
 		}
 
-		/**
-		 * Figure out which reference (i.e tag or branch) contains the latest version.
-		 *
-		 * @param string $configBranch Start looking in this branch.
-		 * @return null|Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Reference
-		 */
-		public function chooseReference($configBranch) {
-			$updateSource = null;
+		protected function getUpdateDetectionStrategies($configBranch) {
+			$strategies = array();
 
 			if ( $configBranch === 'master' ) {
 				//Use the latest release.
-				$updateSource = $this->getLatestRelease();
-				if ( $updateSource === null ) {
-					//Failing that, use the tag with the highest version number.
-					$updateSource = $this->getLatestTag();
-				}
-			}
-			//Alternatively, just use the branch itself.
-			if ( empty($updateSource) ) {
-				$updateSource = $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+				$strategies[self::STRATEGY_LATEST_RELEASE] = array($this, 'getLatestRelease');
+				//Failing that, use the tag with the highest version number.
+				$strategies[self::STRATEGY_LATEST_TAG] = array($this, 'getLatestTag');
 			}
 
-			return $updateSource;
+			//Alternatively, just use the branch itself.
+			$strategies[self::STRATEGY_BRANCH] = function() use ($configBranch) {
+				return $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+			};
+
+			return $strategies;
 		}
 
 		/**
diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitLabApi.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitLabApi.php
index cd90ec2..cb42797 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitLabApi.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/GitLabApi.php
@@ -356,28 +356,19 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_GitLabApi', false) ):
 			throw new LogicException('The ' . __METHOD__ . ' method is not implemented and should not be used.');
 		}
 
-		/**
-		 * Figure out which reference (i.e tag or branch) contains the latest version.
-		 *
-		 * @param string $configBranch Start looking in this branch.
-		 * @return null|Puc_v4p13_Vcs_Reference
-		 */
-		public function chooseReference($configBranch) {
+		protected function getUpdateDetectionStrategies($configBranch) {
+			$strategies = array();
 
-			if ( $configBranch === 'main' || $configBranch === 'master' ) {
-				//Use the latest release.
-				$updateSource = $this->getLatestRelease();
-				if ( $updateSource === null ) {
-					//Failing that, use the tag with the highest version number.
-					$updateSource = $this->getLatestTag();
-				}
-			}
-			//Alternatively, just use the branch itself.
-			if ( empty($updateSource) ) {
-				$updateSource = $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+			if ( ($configBranch === 'main') || ($configBranch === 'master') ) {
+				$strategies[self::STRATEGY_LATEST_RELEASE] = array($this, 'getLatestRelease');
+				$strategies[self::STRATEGY_LATEST_TAG] = array($this, 'getLatestTag');
 			}
 
-			return $updateSource;
+			$strategies[self::STRATEGY_BRANCH] = function() use ($configBranch) {
+				return $this->getBranch($configBranch);
+			};
+
+			return $strategies;
 		}
 
 		public function setAuthentication($credentials) {
diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/PluginUpdateChecker.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/PluginUpdateChecker.php
index 33d9142..8bdaa7a 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/PluginUpdateChecker.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/PluginUpdateChecker.php
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_PluginUpdateChecker') ):
 		 */
 		public function __construct($api, $pluginFile, $slug = '', $checkPeriod = 12, $optionName = '', $muPluginFile = '') {
 			$this->api = $api;
-			$this->api->setHttpFilterName($this->getUniqueName('request_info_options'));
 
 			parent::__construct($api->getRepositoryUrl(), $pluginFile, $slug, $checkPeriod, $optionName, $muPluginFile);
 
+			$this->api->setHttpFilterName($this->getUniqueName('request_info_options'));
+			$this->api->setStrategyFilterName($this->getUniqueName('vcs_update_detection_strategies'));
 			$this->api->setSlug($this->slug);
 		}
 
diff --git a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/ThemeUpdateChecker.php b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/ThemeUpdateChecker.php
index c463b8e..07efbe7 100644
--- a/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/ThemeUpdateChecker.php
+++ b/Puc/v4p13/Vcs/ThemeUpdateChecker.php
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ if ( !class_exists('Puc_v4p13_Vcs_ThemeUpdateChecker', false) ):
 		 */
 		public function __construct($api, $stylesheet = null, $customSlug = null, $checkPeriod = 12, $optionName = '') {
 			$this->api = $api;
-			$this->api->setHttpFilterName($this->getUniqueName('request_update_options'));
 
 			parent::__construct($api->getRepositoryUrl(), $stylesheet, $customSlug, $checkPeriod, $optionName);
 
+			$this->api->setHttpFilterName($this->getUniqueName('request_update_options'));
+			$this->api->setStrategyFilterName($this->getUniqueName('vcs_update_detection_strategies'));
 			$this->api->setSlug($this->slug);
 		}
 
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 7f97a49..0b1c37b 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 		}
 	],
 	"require": {
-		"php": ">=5.2.0",
+		"php": ">=5.4.0",
 		"ext-json": "*"
 	},
 	"autoload": {