diff --git a/support/dependencies/dependencies.sh b/support/dependencies/dependencies.sh
index 98469bd70c..891e234045 100755
--- a/support/dependencies/dependencies.sh
+++ b/support/dependencies/dependencies.sh
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ if test "${missing_progs}" = "yes" ; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
+# apply-patches.sh needs patch with --no-backup-if-mismatch support (GNU, busybox w/DESKTOP)
+if ! patch --no-backup-if-mismatch </dev/null 2>/dev/null; then
+	echo "Your patch program does not support the --no-backup-if-mismatch option. Install GNU patch"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
 if grep ^BR2_NEEDS_HOST_UTF8_LOCALE=y $BR2_CONFIG > /dev/null; then
 	if ! which locale > /dev/null ; then
 		echo
diff --git a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
index 66fef262ee..2d39d63da1 100755
--- a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
+++ b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ function apply_patch {
         exit 1
     fi
     echo "${path}/${patch}" >> ${builddir}/.applied_patches_list
-    ${uncomp} "${path}/$patch" | patch -g0 -p1 -E -d "${builddir}" -t -N $silent
+    ${uncomp} "${path}/$patch" | patch -g0 -p1 -E --no-backup-if-mismatch -d "${builddir}" -t -N $silent
     if [ $? != 0 ] ; then
         echo "Patch failed!  Please fix ${patch}!"
         exit 1
@@ -168,6 +168,3 @@ if [ "`find $builddir/ '(' -name '*.rej' -o -name '.*.rej' ')' -print`" ] ; then
     echo "Aborting.  Reject files found."
     exit 1
 fi
-
-# Remove backup files
-find $builddir/ '(' -name '*.orig' -o -name '.*.orig' ')' -exec rm -f {} \;