diff --git a/lib/bb/fetch2/crate.py b/lib/bb/fetch2/crate.py
index b89817ab9..1127fa802 100644
--- a/lib/bb/fetch2/crate.py
+++ b/lib/bb/fetch2/crate.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import hashlib
 import json
 import os
 import subprocess
+import re
 import bb
 from   bb.fetch2 import logger, subprocess_setup, UnpackError
 from   bb.fetch2.wget import Wget
@@ -155,18 +156,26 @@ class Crate(Wget):
             with open(mdpath, "w") as f:
                 json.dump(metadata, f)
 
-    def latest_versionstring(self, ud, d):
+    def latest_versionstring(self, ud, d, filter_regex=None):
         """
         Return the latest version available when versionsurl is the [name]/versions URL.
         """
         from functools import cmp_to_key
         json_data = json.loads(self._fetch_index(ud.versionsurl, ud, d))
         versions = [(0, i["num"], "") for i in json_data["versions"]]
+        if filter_regex:
+            filtered_versions = []
+            for v in versions:
+                if re.match(filter_regex, v[1]):
+                    filtered_versions.append(v)
+            versions = filtered_versions
         versions = sorted(versions, key=cmp_to_key(bb.utils.vercmp))
+        if versions:
+            return (versions[-1][1], "")
+        else:
+            return ('', '')
 
-        return (versions[-1][1], "")
-
-    def latest_versionstring_from_index(self, ud, d):
+    def latest_versionstring_from_index(self, ud, d, filter_regex=None):
         """
         Return the latest version available when versionsurl is a Cargo index
         file.
@@ -180,5 +189,15 @@ class Crate(Wget):
             data = json.loads(line)
             versions.append((0, data["vers"], ""))
 
+        if filter_regex:
+            filtered_versions = []
+            for v in versions:
+                if re.match(filter_regex, v[1]):
+                    filtered_versions.append(v)
+            versions = filtered_versions
+
         versions = sorted(versions, key=cmp_to_key(bb.utils.vercmp))
-        return (versions[-1][1], "")
+        if versions:
+            return (versions[-1][1], "")
+        else:
+            return ('', '')