diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index bd09f3bda5..a9da81b6fa 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@ setup_toolchain() {
   fi
 }
 
+apply_patch() {
+  patch -d "$2" -p0 -f --dry-run < $1 &> /dev/null && patch -d "$2" -p0 < $1 && return 0
+  patch -d "$2" -p1 -f --dry-run < $1 &> /dev/null && patch -d "$2" -p1 < $1 && return 0
+  echo "*** Failed to apply '$1'! ***"
+  return 1
+}
+
 kernel_path() {
   if [ -f $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk ] ; then
     . $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk
diff --git a/scripts/unpack b/scripts/unpack
index d185a3cb16..9338bbed27 100755
--- a/scripts/unpack
+++ b/scripts/unpack
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ fi
 printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c ${boldcyan}UNPACK${endcolor}   $1\n" ' '>&$SILENT_OUT
 export BUILD_INDENT=$((${BUILD_INDENT:-1}+$BUILD_INDENT_SIZE))
 
+# todo: deprecated
+[ -f "$PKG_DIR/unpack" ] && $PKG_DIR/unpack $@ >&$VERBOSE_OUT
+
 if [ -n "$PKG_URL" ]; then
   $SCRIPTS/extract $1 "$1*.tar.bz2" $BUILD
   $SCRIPTS/extract $1 "$1*.tbz"     $BUILD
@@ -103,7 +106,7 @@ for i in $PKG_DIR/patches/$PKG_NAME-*.patch ; do
       continue;
     else
       printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c ${boldgreen}APPLY PATCH${endcolor} ${boldwhite}(common)${endcolor}   $i\n" ' '>&$SILENT_OUT
-      cat $i | patch -d `echo "$PKG_BUILD" | cut -f1 -d\ ` -p1 >&$VERBOSE_OUT
+      apply_patch $i $PKG_BUILD || exit 1
     fi
   fi
 done
@@ -117,7 +120,7 @@ for i in $PKG_DIR/patches/$PKG_VERSION/*.patch ; do
       continue;
     else
       printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c ${boldgreen}APPLY PATCH${endcolor} ${boldwhite}($PKG_VERSION)${endcolor}   $i\n" ' '>&$SILENT_OUT
-      cat $i | patch -d `echo "$PKG_BUILD" | cut -f1 -d\ ` -p1 >&$VERBOSE_OUT
+      apply_patch $i $PKG_BUILD || exit 1
     fi
   fi
 done
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ for i in $PROJECT_DIR/$PROJECT/patches/$PKG_NAME/*.patch ; do
       continue;
     else
       printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c ${boldgreen}APPLY PATCH${endcolor} ${boldwhite}(project)${endcolor}   $i\n" ' '>&$SILENT_OUT
-      cat $i | patch -d `echo "$PKG_BUILD" | cut -f1 -d\ ` -p1 >&$VERBOSE_OUT
+      apply_patch $i $PKG_BUILD || exit 1
     fi
   fi
 done
@@ -151,9 +154,6 @@ if [ -f $PKG_DIR/package.mk ]; then
   fi
 fi
 
-# todo: deprecated
-[ -f "$PKG_DIR/unpack" ] && $PKG_DIR/unpack $@ >&$VERBOSE_OUT
-
 for config in `find $BUILD/$1* -name config.guess | sed 's/config.guess//'`; do
   printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c ${boldyellow}FIXCONFIG${endcolor}   $config\n" ' '>&$SILENT_OUT