diff --git a/setuptools/_reqs.py b/setuptools/_reqs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca7241746b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setuptools/_reqs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import setuptools.extern.jaraco.text as text
+
+from pkg_resources import Requirement
+
+
+def parse_strings(strs):
+    """
+    Yield requirement strings for each specification in `strs`.
+
+    `strs` must be a string, or a (possibly-nested) iterable thereof.
+    """
+    return text.join_continuation(map(text.drop_comment, text.yield_lines(strs)))
+
+
+def parse(strs):
+    """
+    Deprecated drop-in replacement for pkg_resources.parse_requirements.
+    """
+    return map(Requirement, parse_strings(strs))
diff --git a/setuptools/build_meta.py b/setuptools/build_meta.py
index cdaac36092..1daa77c92e 100644
--- a/setuptools/build_meta.py
+++ b/setuptools/build_meta.py
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
 
 import setuptools
 import distutils
-
-import setuptools.extern.jaraco.text as text
+from ._reqs import parse_strings
 
 __all__ = ['get_requires_for_build_sdist',
            'get_requires_for_build_wheel',
@@ -49,15 +48,6 @@
            'SetupRequirementsError']
 
 
-def parse_requirements(strs):
-    """
-    Yield requirement strings for each specification in `strs`.
-
-    `strs` must be a string, or a (possibly-nested) iterable thereof.
-    """
-    return text.join_continuation(map(text.drop_comment, text.yield_lines(strs)))
-
-
 class SetupRequirementsError(BaseException):
     def __init__(self, specifiers):
         self.specifiers = specifiers
@@ -65,7 +55,7 @@ def __init__(self, specifiers):
 
 class Distribution(setuptools.dist.Distribution):
     def fetch_build_eggs(self, specifiers):
-        specifier_list = list(parse_requirements(specifiers))
+        specifier_list = list(parse_strings(specifiers))
 
         raise SetupRequirementsError(specifier_list)