diff --git a/make/buildsystem-helpers.mk b/make/buildsystem-helpers.mk
index 14a6c860..a580c1dc 100644
--- a/make/buildsystem-helpers.mk
+++ b/make/buildsystem-helpers.mk
@@ -90,36 +90,33 @@ endef
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-PATCHES = \
-	*.patch \
-	*.patch-$(TARGET_CPU) \
-	*.patch-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
-	*.patch-$(BOXTYPE) \
-	*.patch-$(BOXSERIES) \
-	*.patch-$(BOXFAMILY) \
-	*.patch-$(BOXMODEL)
+PATCH_BASE_DIRS = $(PKG_PATCHES_DIR)
+
+PATCH_BASE_FILES = \
+	\*.patch \
+	\*.patch-$(TARGET_CPU) \
+	\*.patch-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
+	\*.patch-$(BOXTYPE) \
+	\*.patch-$(BOXSERIES) \
+	\*.patch-$(BOXFAMILY) \
+	\*.patch-$(BOXMODEL)
+
+APPLY_PATCH = support/scripts/apply-patches.sh $(if $(QUIET),-s)
 
 # apply single patches or patch sets
 define APPLY_PATCHES # (patches or directory)
 	@$(call MESSAGE,"Patching")
 	$(foreach hook,$($(PKG)_PRE_PATCH_HOOKS),$(call $(hook))$(sep))
+	$(foreach p,$($(PKG)_PATCH),$(APPLY_PATCH) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) $(DL_DIR) $(notdir $(p))$(sep))
 	$(Q)( \
-	$(CHDIR)/$($(PKG)_DIR); \
-	for i in $(1); do \
-		if [ "$$i" == "$(PKG_PATCHES_DIR)" -a ! -d $$i ]; then \
-			continue; \
-		fi; \
-		if [ -d $$i ]; then \
-			for p in $(addprefix $$i/,$(PATCHES)); do \
-				if [ -e $$p ]; then \
-					$(call MESSAGE,"Applying $${p#$(PKG_PATCHES_DIR)/} (*)"); \
-					patch -p1 -i $$p; \
-				fi; \
-			done; \
-		else \
-			$(call MESSAGE,"Applying $${i#$(PKG_PATCHES_DIR)/}"); \
-			patch -p1 -i $(PKG_PATCHES_DIR)/$$i; \
-		fi; \
+	for P in $(PATCH_BASE_DIRS); do \
+	  if test -d $${P}; then \
+	    if test -d $${P}/$($(PKG)_VERSION); then \
+	      $(APPLY_PATCH) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) $${P}/$($(PKG)_VERSION) $(PATCH_BASE_FILES) || exit 1; \
+	    else \
+	      $(APPLY_PATCH) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) $${P} $(PATCH_BASE_FILES) || exit 1; \
+	    fi; \
+	  fi; \
 	done; \
 	)
 	$(foreach hook,$($(PKG)_POST_PATCH_HOOKS),$(call $(hook))$(sep))