diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4d49649..ffe8f5c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ options:
 	@echo "LDFLAGS = $(STLDFLAGS)"
 	@echo "CC      = $(CC)"
 
-config.h:
-	cp config.def.h config.h
+config.h: patch
+	cp config.def.h $@
 
 .c.o:
 	$(CC) $(STCFLAGS) -c $<
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ $(OBJ): config.h config.mk
 st: $(OBJ)
 	$(CC) -o $@ $(OBJ) $(STLDFLAGS)
 
-clean:
-	rm -f st $(OBJ) st-$(VERSION).tar.gz config.h
+clean: restore
+	rm -f st $(OBJ) st-$(VERSION).tar.gz config.h *.rej *.orig
 
 dist: clean
 	mkdir -p st-$(VERSION)
@@ -54,4 +54,15 @@ uninstall:
 	rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin/st
 	rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(MANPREFIX)/man1/st.1
 
-.PHONY: all options clean dist install uninstall
+backup:
+	find . -iname '*.[ch]' -exec sh -c 'cp $$0 $$0.backup' {} \;
+
+restore:
+	find . -iname '*.backup'  \
+		-exec sh -c 'mv $$0 "$${0%.backup}"' {} \;
+
+patch: backup
+	find ${PATCHESDIR} -iname '*.diff' -exec sh -c 'patch < $$0' {} \;
+
+.PHONY: all options clean dist install uninstall backup patch restore
+
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index 973e7c2..aa38291 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ VERSION = 0.8.5
 # Customize below to fit your system
 
 # paths
-PREFIX = /usr/local
-MANPREFIX = $(PREFIX)/share/man
+PREFIX     = /usr/local
+MANPREFIX  = $(PREFIX)/share/man
+PATCHESDIR = patches
 
 X11INC = /usr/X11R6/include
 X11LIB = /usr/X11R6/lib