diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/deps/mulled/mulled_hash.py b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/deps/mulled/mulled_hash.py
index 691e4ab7e749..9301acde632e 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/deps/mulled/mulled_hash.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/deps/mulled/mulled_hash.py
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@
 )
 
 
+def _mulled_hash(hash, targets):
+    """
+    >>> _mulled_hash(hash="v2", targets="samtools=1.3.1,bedtools=2.26.0")
+    'mulled-v2-8186960447c5cb2faa697666dc1e6d919ad23f3e:a6419f25efff953fc505dbd5ee734856180bb619'
+    >>> _mulled_hash(hash="v2", targets="samtools=1.3.1=h9071d68_10,bedtools=2.26.0=0")
+    'mulled-v2-8186960447c5cb2faa697666dc1e6d919ad23f3e:8e86df67d257ce6494ae12b2c60e1b94025ea529'
+    """
+    targets = target_str_to_targets(targets)
+    image_name = v2_image_name if hash == "v2" else v1_image_name
+    return image_name(targets)
+
+
 def main(argv=None):
     """Main entry-point for the CLI tool."""
     parser = arg_parser(argv, globals())
@@ -25,8 +37,7 @@ def main(argv=None):
     parser.add_argument("--hash", dest="hash", choices=["v1", "v2"], default="v2")
     args = parser.parse_args()
     targets = target_str_to_targets(args.targets)
-    image_name = v2_image_name if args.hash == "v2" else v1_image_name
-    print(image_name(targets))
+    print(_mulled_hash(args.hash, targets))
 
 
 __all__ = ("main",)