diff --git a/shutils/patch_funcs.sh b/shutils/patch_funcs.sh
index 2ea317ce..3f62774b 100644
--- a/shutils/patch_funcs.sh
+++ b/shutils/patch_funcs.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #-
-# Copyright (c) 2008 Juan Romero Pardines.
+# Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Juan Romero Pardines.
 # All rights reserved.
 #
 # Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -24,57 +24,57 @@
 #-
 
 #
-# Applies to the build directory the patches specified by a template.
+# Applies to the build directory all patches found in PATCHESDIR
+# (templates/$pkgname/patches).
 #
 apply_tmpl_patches()
 {
-	local patch=
-	local i=
+	local patch_files args patch i
 
-	# Apply some build/install patches automatically.
-	if [ -f $XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR/$pkgname/build.diff ]; then
-		patch_files="build.diff $patch_files"
-	fi
-	if [ -f $XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR/$pkgname/install.diff ]; then
-		patch_files="install.diff $patch_files"
-	fi
+	[ ! -d $PATCHESDIR ] && return 0
 
-	[ -z "$patch_args" ] && patch_args="-p0"
-	[ -z "$patch_files" ] && return 0
-
-	#
-	# If package needs some patches applied before building,
-	# apply them now.
-	#
-	for i in ${patch_files}; do
-		patch="$XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR/$pkgname/$i"
-		if [ ! -f "$patch" ]; then
-			msg_warn "unexistent patch: $i."
+	for f in $(echo $PATCHESDIR/*); do
+		if $(echo $f|grep -q '.args'); then
 			continue
 		fi
+		patch_files="$patch_files $f"
+	done
 
-		cp -f $patch $wrksrc
+	for i in ${patch_files}; do
+		args="-Np0"
+		patch=$(basename $i)
+		if [ -f $PATCHESDIR/$patch.args ]; then
+			args=$(cat $PATCHESDIR/$patch.args)
+		fi
+		cp -f $i $wrksrc
 
 		# Try to guess if its a compressed patch.
-		if $(echo $patch|grep -q '.diff.gz'); then
-			gunzip $wrksrc/$i
-			patch=${i%%.gz}
-		elif $(echo $patch|grep -q '.diff.bz2'); then
-			bunzip2 $wrksrc/$i
-			patch=${i%%.bz2}
-		elif $(echo $patch|grep -q '.diff'); then
-			patch=$i
+		if $(echo $i|grep -q '.diff.gz'); then
+			gunzip $wrksrc/$patch
+			patch=${patch%%.gz}
+		elif $(echo $i|grep -q '.patch.gz'); then
+			gunzip $wrksrc/$patch
+			patch=${patch%%.gz}
+		elif $(echo $i|grep -q '.diff.bz2'); then
+			bunzip2 $wrksrc/$patch
+			patch=${patch%%.bz2}
+		elif $(echo $i|grep -q '.patch.bz2'); then
+			bunzip2 $wrksrc/$patch
+			patch=${patch%%.bz2}
+		elif $(echo $i|grep -q '.diff'); then
+			:
+		elif $(echo $i|grep -q '.patch'); then
+			:
 		else
 			msg_warn "unknown patch type: $i."
 			continue
 		fi
 
-		cd $wrksrc && patch -s ${patch_args} < \
-			$patch 2>/dev/null
-		if [ "$?" -eq 0 ]; then
-			msg_normal "Patch applied: $i."
+		cd $wrksrc && patch -s ${args} < $patch 2>/dev/null
+		if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+			msg_normal "Patch applied: $patch."
 		else
-			msg_error "couldn't apply patch: $i."
+			msg_error "couldn't apply patch: $patch."
 		fi
 	done
 
diff --git a/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh b/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
index d83a3c92..c28f5281 100644
--- a/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
+++ b/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ reset_tmpl_vars()
 	local TMPL_VARS="pkgname distfiles configure_args configure_env \
 			make_build_args make_install_args build_style	\
 			short_desc maintainer long_desc checksum wrksrc	\
-			patch_files make_cmd base_chroot register_shell \
+			make_cmd base_chroot register_shell \
 			make_build_target configure_script noextract nofetch \
 			pre_configure pre_build pre_install configure_shell \
 			post_configure post_build post_install \
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ reset_tmpl_vars()
 			sgml_catalogs xml_catalogs xml_entries sgml_entries \
 			build_depends libtool_fixup_la_stage no_fixup_libtool \
 			disable_parallel_build run_depends cross_compiler \
-			only_for_archs patch_args conf_files keep_dirs \
+			only_for_archs conf_files keep_dirs \
 			noarch subpackages sourcepkg gtk_iconcache_dirs \
 			abi_depends api_depends triggers openrc_services \
 			libtool_no_delete_archives \
 			XBPS_EXTRACT_DONE XBPS_CONFIGURE_DONE \
 			XBPS_BUILD_DONE XBPS_INSTALL_DONE FILESDIR DESTDIR \
-			SRCPKGDESTDIR"
+			SRCPKGDESTDIR PATCHESDIR"
 
 	for v in ${TMPL_VARS}; do
 		eval unset "$v"
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ set_tmpl_common_vars()
 	[ -z "$pkgname" ] && return 1
 
 	FILESDIR=${XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR}/${pkgname}/files
+	PATCHESDIR=${XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR}/${pkgname}/patches
 	DESTDIR=${XBPS_DESTDIR}/${pkgname}-${version}
 	if [ -z "${sourcepkg}" ]; then
 		sourcepkg=${pkgname}