diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ It's implemented with basic auth functio
 import os
 import logging
 import importlib
+import re
 from functools import wraps
 
 from paste.httpheaders import REMOTE_USER, AUTH_TYPE
@@ -104,6 +105,31 @@ class SimpleVCS(object):
             auth_ret_code_detection)
         self.ip_addr = '0.0.0.0'
 
+    def set_repo_names(self, environ):
+        """
+        This will populate the attributes acl_repo_name, url_repo_name and
+        vcs_repo_name on the current instance.
+        """
+        # TODO: martinb: Move to class or module scope.
+        pr_regex = re.compile(
+            '(?P<base_name>(?:[\w-]+)(?:/[\w-]+)*)/'
+            '(?P<repo_name>[\w-]+)'
+            '/pull-request/(?P<pr_id>\d+)/repository')
+
+        self.url_repo_name = self._get_repository_name(environ)
+        match = pr_regex.match(self.url_repo_name)
+
+        if match:
+            match_dict = match.groupdict()
+            self.acl_repo_name = '{base_name}/{repo_name}'.format(**match_dict)
+            self.vcs_repo_name = '{base_name}/.__shadow_{repo_name}_pr-{pr_id}'.format(
+                **match_dict)
+            self.pr_id = match_dict.get('pr_id')
+        else:
+            self.acl_repo_name = self.url_repo_name
+            self.vcs_repo_name = self.url_repo_name
+            self.pr_id = None
+
     @property
     def repo_name(self):
         # TODO: johbo: Remove, switch to correct repo name attribute
diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/vcs.py b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/vcs.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/vcs.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/vcs.py
@@ -175,52 +175,37 @@ class VCSMiddleware(object):
             # translate the _REPO_ID into real repo NAME for usage
             # in middleware
             environ['PATH_INFO'] = vcs_handler._get_by_id(environ['PATH_INFO'])
-            repo_name = vcs_handler._get_repository_name(environ)
 
-            acl_repo_name = repo_name
-            vcs_repo_name = repo_name
-            url_repo_name = repo_name
-            pr_id = None
-
-            pr_regex = re.compile(
-                '(?P<base_name>(?:[\w-]+)(?:/[\w-]+)*)/'
-                '(?P<repo_name>[\w-]+)'
-                '/pull-request/(?P<pr_id>\d+)/repository')
-            match = pr_regex.match(repo_name)
-            if match:
-                match_dict = match.groupdict()
-                pr_id = match_dict.get('pr_id')
-                acl_repo_name = '{base_name}/{repo_name}'.format(**match_dict)
-                vcs_repo_name = '{base_name}/.__shadow_{repo_name}_pr-{pr_id}'.format(
-                    **match_dict)
-
+            # Set repo names for permission checks, vcs and web interaction.
+            vcs_handler.set_repo_names(environ)
             log.debug('repo_names %s', {
-                'acl_repo_name': acl_repo_name,
-                'vcs_repo_name': vcs_repo_name,
-                'url_repo_name': url_repo_name,
+                'acl_repo_name': vcs_handler.acl_repo_name,
+                'vcs_repo_name': vcs_handler.vcs_repo_name,
+                'url_repo_name': vcs_handler.url_repo_name,
             })
-            log.debug('pull_request %s', pr_id)
+            log.debug('pull_request %s', vcs_handler.pr_id)
 
             # check for type, presence in database and on filesystem
             if not vcs_handler.is_valid_and_existing_repo(
-                    acl_repo_name, vcs_handler.basepath, vcs_handler.SCM):
+                    vcs_handler.acl_repo_name,
+                    vcs_handler.basepath,
+                    vcs_handler.SCM):
                 return HTTPNotFound()(environ, start_response)
 
             # TODO: johbo: Needed for the Pyro4 backend and Mercurial only.
             # Remove once we fully switched to the HTTP backend.
-            environ['REPO_NAME'] = url_repo_name
+            environ['REPO_NAME'] = vcs_handler.url_repo_name
 
-            # register repo_name and it's config back to the handler
-            vcs_handler.acl_repo_name = acl_repo_name
-            vcs_handler.url_repo_name = url_repo_name
-            vcs_handler.vcs_repo_name = vcs_repo_name
-            vcs_handler.pr_id = pr_id
-            vcs_handler.repo_vcs_config = self.vcs_config(acl_repo_name)
+            # register repo config back to the handler
+            vcs_handler.repo_vcs_config = self.vcs_config(
+                vcs_handler.acl_repo_name)
 
+            # Wrap handler in middlewares if they are enabled.
             vcs_handler = self.wrap_in_gzip_if_enabled(
                 vcs_handler, self.config)
             vcs_handler, _ = wrap_in_appenlight_if_enabled(
                 vcs_handler, self.config, self.appenlight_client)
+
             return vcs_handler(environ, start_response)
 
         return self.application(environ, start_response)