diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index b45ce77f..bdad7a33 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 LIST OF CHANGES
 
+release 101.5.0 (2024-09-04)
+ - Moved the parser for the LIMS reference genome notation from
+   npg_tracking::data::reference::find to a new package
+   npg_tracking::data::reference::util, thus providing a stand-alone
+   implementation of the parser.
+
+   Removed dependency of st::api::lims on npg_tracking::data::reference::find
+   since the latter brings in the dependency on npg_tracking::data::reference::list,
+   which requires that the reference repository root is defined and exists.
+   Instead used the reference genome notation parser from
+   npg_tracking::data::reference::util.
+ - fixes issues with tests for npg_seq_pipeline 68.5.0 and higher
+
 release 101.4.0 (2024-08-30)
  - Added species_from_reference_genome method to st::api::lims. If the
    reference_genome value is defined, this new method returns the name of the
diff --git a/MANIFEST b/MANIFEST
index 6af3e082..9ad25f29 100644
--- a/MANIFEST
+++ b/MANIFEST
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ lib/npg_tracking/data/reference.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/find.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/info.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/list.pm
+lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/util.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/snv.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/snv/find.pm
 lib/npg_tracking/data/transcriptome.pm
@@ -344,6 +345,7 @@ t/10-primer_panel.t
 t/10-reference-find.t
 t/10-reference-info.t
 t/10-reference-list.t
+t/10-reference-util.t
 t/10-reference.t
 t/10-snv.t
 t/10-transcriptome.t
diff --git a/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/find.pm b/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/find.pm
index 2e96d48b..bb6f23a4 100644
--- a/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/find.pm
+++ b/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/find.pm
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use File::Spec::Functions qw(catfile);
 use Readonly;
 
 use npg_tracking::util::abs_path qw(abs_path);
+use npg_tracking::data::reference::util qw(parse_reference_genome_name);
 use npg_tracking::data::reference::info;
 use npg_tracking::util::messages;
 use npg_tracking::glossary::rpt;
@@ -386,25 +387,7 @@ sub parse_reference_genome {
     my ($self, $reference_genome) = @_;
     $reference_genome ||= $self->reference_genome;
     if ($reference_genome) {
-        my ($organism, $strain, $tversion, $analysis, @array);
-        ## allows for transcriptome version and analysis e.g. 'Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_release_75) [star]'
-        $organism = '(?<organism>\S+)\s+';
-        $strain = '(?<strain>\S+)';
-        $tversion = '(?:\s+\+\s+(?<tversion>\S+))?';
-        $analysis = '(?:\s+[[](?<analysis>\S+)[]])?';
-        $reference_genome  =~ qr{$organism [(] $strain $tversion [)] $analysis}smx;
-        $organism = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'organism'};
-        $strain = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'strain'};
-        $tversion = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'tversion'};
-        $analysis = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'analysis'};
-        if ($organism && $strain) {
-            if ($tversion || $analysis) {
-                @array = ($organism, $strain, $tversion, $analysis);
-            } else {
-                @array = ($organism, $strain);
-            }
-            return @array;
-        }
+        return parse_reference_genome_name($reference_genome);
     }
     return;
 }
diff --git a/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/util.pm b/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/util.pm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..383a395e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/npg_tracking/data/reference/util.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+package npg_tracking::data::reference::util;
+
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+use English qw(-no_match_vars);
+use Carp;
+use Exporter qw(import);
+
+our @EXPORT_OK = qw(parse_reference_genome_name);
+
+our $VERSION = '0';
+
+sub parse_reference_genome_name {
+  my $reference_genome = shift;
+
+  $reference_genome or croak 'Reference genome name is not defined';
+
+  my ($organism, $strain, $tversion, $analysis);
+
+  $organism = '(?<organism>\S+)\s+';
+  $strain = '(?<strain>\S+)';
+  $tversion = '(?:\s+\+\s+(?<tversion>\S+))?';
+  $analysis = '(?:\s+[[](?<analysis>\S+)[]])?';
+  $reference_genome  =~ qr{$organism [(] $strain $tversion [)] $analysis}smx;
+  $organism = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'organism'};
+  $strain = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'strain'};
+  $tversion = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'tversion'};
+  $analysis = $LAST_PAREN_MATCH{'analysis'};
+
+  if ($organism && $strain) {
+    my @array = ($organism, $strain);
+    if ($tversion || $analysis) {
+      push @array, $tversion, $analysis;
+    }
+    return @array;
+  }
+
+  return; # To be compatible with the existing code, it is essential to return
+          # an undefined value rather than an empty array.
+}
+
+1;
+
+__END__
+
+=head1 NAME
+
+npg_tracking::data::reference::util
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+A collection of simple utility function in support of reference finder.
+
+=head1 SUBROUTINES/METHODS
+
+=head2 parse_reference_genome_name
+
+Parses LIMs notation for reference genome, returns a list containing
+an organism, strain (genome version) and, optionally, a transcriptome
+version and/or a word indicating the type of analysis to be run.
+
+Returns an undefined value if the input does not conform to the expected
+pattern. Errors if the input string is undefined or empty.
+
+  use npg_tracking::data::reference::util qw(parse_reference_genome_name);
+
+  parse_reference_genome_name(q[]); # errors
+  parse_reference_genome_name(); # errors
+
+  my $name = 'Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5)';
+  my @a = parse_reference_genome_name($name);
+  print join q[, ], @a; # prints Homo_sapiens, 1000Genomes_hs37d5
+  
+  # 'ensembl_release_75' defines the transcriptom to use
+  # 'star' defines an aligher to use
+  $name = 'Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_release_75) [star]';
+  parse_reference_genome_name($name);
+  print join q[, ], @a;
+  # prints Homo_sapiens, 1000Genomes_hs37d5, ensembl_release_75, star
+
+  $name = 'Homo_sapiens 1000Genomes_hs37d5'
+  @a = parse_reference_genome_name($name); # no error, @a is undefined
+
+=head1 DIAGNOSTICS
+
+=head1 CONFIGURATION AND ENVIRONMENT
+
+=head1 DEPENDENCIES
+
+=head1 INCOMPATIBILITIES
+
+=head1 BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
+
+=head1 AUTHOR
+
+Marina Gourtovaia
+
+=head1 LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
+
+Copyright (C) 2024 Genome Research Ltd.
+
+This file is part of NPG.
+
+NPG is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+=cut
diff --git a/lib/st/api/lims.pm b/lib/st/api/lims.pm
index 281ff7ab..bfadd4c6 100644
--- a/lib/st/api/lims.pm
+++ b/lib/st/api/lims.pm
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use Class::Load qw/load_class/;
 use npg_tracking::util::types;
 use npg_tracking::glossary::rpt;
 use npg_tracking::glossary::composition::factory::rpt_list;
-use npg_tracking::data::reference::find;
+use npg_tracking::data::reference::util qw/parse_reference_genome_name/;
 
 our $VERSION = '0';
 
@@ -622,10 +622,9 @@ sub species_from_reference_genome {
   my $self = shift;
 
   if ($self->reference_genome) {
-    my @genome_as_array = npg_tracking::data::reference::find
-      ->parse_reference_genome($self->reference_genome);
-    if (@genome_as_array) {
-      return $genome_as_array[0];
+    my @gname_components = parse_reference_genome_name($self->reference_genome);
+    if (@gname_components) {
+      return $gname_components[0];
     }
   }
   return;
@@ -1340,7 +1339,7 @@ __END__
 
 =item npg_tracking::glossary::composition::component::illumina
 
-=item npg_tracking::data::reference::find
+=item npg_tracking::data::reference::util
 
 =back
 
diff --git a/t/10-reference-find.t b/t/10-reference-find.t
index dd2bb964..cbabd066 100644
--- a/t/10-reference-find.t
+++ b/t/10-reference-find.t
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use strict;
 use warnings;
-use Test::More tests => 52;
+use Test::More tests => 44;
 use Test::Exception;
 use File::Spec::Functions qw(catfile);
 use Cwd qw(cwd);
@@ -204,20 +204,7 @@ use_ok('npg_tracking::data::reference::find');
 }
 
 {
-  no warnings 'uninitialized';
   my $ruser = Moose::Meta::Class->create_anon_class(
-      roles => [qw/npg_tracking::data::reference::find/])
-      ->new_object({ repository => $transcriptome_repos });
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome)])),'Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5|ensembl_74_transcriptome|','transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with correct format');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome) [star]])),'Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5|ensembl_74_transcriptome|star','transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with aligner 1/2');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5) [star]])),q[Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5||star],'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with aligner 2/2');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5)])),q[Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5],'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok without aligner');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + )])), q[],'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok - returns empty with missing transcriptome version');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 ensembl_74_transcriptome)])),q[],'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok - returns empty with missing delimiter');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome])),q[],'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok - returns empty with missing bracket');
-  is(join(q[|],$ruser->parse_reference_genome(q(Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome) [star))),'Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5|ensembl_74_transcriptome|','transcriptome ref genome parsing ok - aligner ignored with missing square bracket');
-
-  $ruser = Moose::Meta::Class->create_anon_class(
           roles => [qw/npg_tracking::data::reference::find/])
           ->new_object({ 'repository' => $transcriptome_repos, 'aligner' => 'fasta' });
   my $lims = Test::MockObject->new();
diff --git a/t/10-reference-util.t b/t/10-reference-util.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b17794cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/10-reference-util.t
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+use Test::More tests => 14;
+use Test::Exception;
+
+my @imports = qw/parse_reference_genome_name/;
+use_ok('npg_tracking::data::reference::util', @imports);
+can_ok('npg_tracking::data::reference::util', @imports);
+
+throws_ok { parse_reference_genome_name() }
+  qr//, 'error if the input is undefined';
+throws_ok { parse_reference_genome_name(q[]) } qr//,
+  'error if the input is an empty string';
+
+my @ref = parse_reference_genome_name(q[Salmonella_enterica (Enteritidis_P125109)]);
+is_deeply (\@ref, [qw(Salmonella_enterica Enteritidis_P125109)],
+  'species and strain are returned');
+
+@ref = parse_reference_genome_name(
+  q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome)]
+);
+is_deeply (\@ref, ['Homo_sapiens', '1000Genomes_hs37d5',
+  'ensembl_74_transcriptome', undef],
+  'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with correct format');
+@ref = parse_reference_genome_name(
+  q{Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome) [star}
+);
+is_deeply (\@ref, ['Homo_sapiens', '1000Genomes_hs37d5',
+  'ensembl_74_transcriptome', undef],
+  'aligner ignored due to a missing square bracket');
+
+is (join(q[|], parse_reference_genome_name(
+    q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome) [star]])
+  ),'Homo_sapiens|1000Genomes_hs37d5|ensembl_74_transcriptome|star',
+  'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with aligner');
+@ref = parse_reference_genome_name(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5) [star]]);
+is_deeply (\@ref, ['Homo_sapiens', '1000Genomes_hs37d5', undef, 'star'],
+  'transcriptome ref genome parsing ok with aligner and no transcriptome');
+
+lives_ok {
+  parse_reference_genome_name(q[Salmonella_enterica Enteritidis_P125109])
+} 'incorrect string pattern does not cause an error';
+is (parse_reference_genome_name(q[Salmonella_enterica Enteritidis_P125109]),
+  undef, 'no brackets - wrong pattern, undefined value is returned');
+is (parse_reference_genome_name(q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + )]), undef,
+ 'missing transcriptome version - wrong pattern');
+is (parse_reference_genome_name(
+    q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 ensembl_74_transcriptome)]
+  ), undef, 'missing transcriptome delimiter - wrong pattern');
+is (parse_reference_genome_name(
+  q[Homo_sapiens (1000Genomes_hs37d5 + ensembl_74_transcriptome]), undef,
+  'missing bracket - wrong pattern');
+
+1;