diff --git a/pisi/cli/commands.py b/pisi/cli/commands.py
index ae05e0c8..cc62a695 100644
--- a/pisi/cli/commands.py
+++ b/pisi/cli/commands.py
@@ -452,6 +452,8 @@ to be downloaded from a repository containing sources.
                                default=False, help=_("Do not install build dependencies, fail if a build dependency is present"))
         group.add_option("-F", "--package-format", action="store", default='1.1',
                                help=_("PiSi binary package formats: '1.0', '1.1' (default)"))
+        group.add_option("--use-quilt", action="store_true",
+                               default=False, help=_("Use quilt patch management system instead of GNU patch"))
 
     def add_steps_options(self):
         group = OptionGroup(self.parser, _("build steps"))
diff --git a/pisi/constants.py b/pisi/constants.py
index 619ce2fd..d2be3af3 100644
--- a/pisi/constants.py
+++ b/pisi/constants.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class Constants:
         self.__c.work_dir_suffix = "/work"       # these, too, because we might wanna change 'em
         self.__c.install_dir_suffix  = "/install"
         self.__c.debug_dir_suffix  = "/debug"
+        self.__c.quilt_dir_suffix  = "/patches"
 
         # file/directory names
         #note: these don't seem very well, constants are used
diff --git a/pisi/util.py b/pisi/util.py
index 50879540..beebd384 100644
--- a/pisi/util.py
+++ b/pisi/util.py
@@ -488,7 +488,19 @@ def do_patch(sourceDir, patchFile, level = 0):
         level = 0
 
     check_file(patchFile)
-    (ret, out, err) = run_batch("patch -p%d < %s" %
+
+    if ctx.get_option('use_quilt'):
+        patchesDir = join_path(sourceDir, ctx.const.quilt_dir_suffix)
+        # Make sure sourceDir/patches directory exists and if not create one!
+        if not os.path.exists(patchesDir):
+            os.makedirs(patchesDir)
+        # Import original patch into quilt tree
+        (ret, out, err) = run_batch('quilt import -p %d -n %s %s' % (level, os.path.basename(patchFile), patchFile))
+        # run quilt push to apply original patch into tree
+        (ret, out, err) = run_batch('quilt push')
+    else:
+        # run GNU patch to apply original patch into tree
+        (ret, out, err) = run_batch("patch -p%d < %s" %
                                     (level, patchFile))
     if ret:
         if out is None and err is None: