diff --git a/include/package-defaults.mk b/include/package-defaults.mk
index 57f5ed7ef4..16d9ae0027 100644
--- a/include/package-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/package-defaults.mk
@@ -33,12 +33,11 @@ define Package/Default
   DESCRIPTION:=
 endef
 
+Build/Patch:=$(Build/Patch/Default)
 ifneq ($(strip $(PKG_UNPACK)),)
   define Build/Prepare/Default
   	$(PKG_UNPACK)
-	@if [ -d ./patches -a "$$$$(ls ./patches | wc -l)" -gt 0 ]; then \
-		$(PATCH) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) ./patches; \
-	fi
+	$(Build/Patch)
   endef
 endif
 
diff --git a/include/package.mk b/include/package.mk
index 3e2944fbdc..daff3ed0d6 100644
--- a/include/package.mk
+++ b/include/package.mk
@@ -14,13 +14,16 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/prereq.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/host.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/unpack.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/depends.mk
-include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-defaults.mk
-include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-dumpinfo.mk
-include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-ipkg.mk
 
 STAMP_PREPARED:=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/.prepared$(if $(DUMP),,_$(shell find ${CURDIR} $(PKG_FILE_DEPEND) $(DEP_FINDPARAMS) | md5s))
 STAMP_CONFIGURED:=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/.configured
 STAMP_BUILT:=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/.built
+
+include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/quilt.mk
+include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-defaults.mk
+include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-dumpinfo.mk
+include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package-ipkg.mk
+
 export CONFIG_SITE:=$(INCLUDE_DIR)/site/$(REAL_GNU_TARGET_NAME)
 
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_AUTOREBUILD),)
diff --git a/include/quilt.mk b/include/quilt.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec5acc507e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/quilt.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# 
+# Copyright (C) 2007 OpenWrt.org
+#
+# This is free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License v2.
+# See /LICENSE for more information.
+#
+
+QUILT?=$(strip $(shell test -f $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/.quilt_patched && echo y))
+ifneq ($(QUILT),)
+  STAMP_PREPARED:=$(strip $(STAMP_PREPARED))_q
+  CONFIG_AUTOREBUILD=
+  PATCHES:=$(shell cd ./patches; ls)
+  define Build/Patch/Default
+	rm -rf $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches
+	mkdir -p $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches
+	for patch in $(PATCHES); do ( \
+		cp "./patches/$$$$patch" $(PKG_BUILD_DIR); \
+		cd $(PKG_BUILD_DIR); \
+		quilt import -p 1 "$$$$patch"; \
+		quilt push; \
+		quilt refresh; \
+		rm -f "$$$$patch"; \
+	); done
+	touch $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/.quilt_patched
+  endef
+else
+  define Build/Patch/Default
+	@if [ -d ./patches -a "$$$$(ls ./patches | wc -l)" -gt 0 ]; then \
+		$(PATCH) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) ./patches; \
+	fi
+  endef
+endif
+
+refresh: $(STAMP_PREPARED)
+	@[ -f "$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches/series" ] || { \
+		echo "The source directory was not unpacked using quilt. Please rebuild."; \
+		false; \
+	}
+	@[ "$$(cat $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches/series | md5sum)" = "$$(sort $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches/series | md5sum)" ] || { \
+		echo "The patches are not sorted in the right order. Please fix."; \
+		false; \
+	}
+	rm -f ./patches/* 2>/dev/null >/dev/null
+	@( \
+		for patch in $$(cat $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches/series); do \
+			$(CP) -v "$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/patches/$$patch" ./patches; \
+		done; \
+	)
diff --git a/package/Makefile b/package/Makefile
index 64c78de5e7..0713e8d23e 100644
--- a/package/Makefile
+++ b/package/Makefile
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ ifeq ($(QUIET),1)
 %-compile %-install: FORCE
 	$(MAKE) -C $* $(patsubst $*-%,%,$@) || { $(call MESSAGE, "*** $* $(patsubst $*-%,%,$@) failed"); false; }
 
-%-prepare %-prereq %-download %-clean: FORCE
+%-prepare %-prereq %-download %-clean %-refresh: FORCE
 else
-%-prepare %-prereq %-download %-clean %-compile %-install: FORCE
+%-prepare %-prereq %-download %-clean %-compile %-install %-refresh: FORCE
 endif
 	$(MAKE) -C $* $(patsubst $*-%,%,$@)