3 files changed, 36 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/docs/manual/customize-packages.txt b/docs/manual/customize-packages.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1820c544e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/manual/customize-packages.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// -*- mode:doc -*- ;
+
+[[packages-custom]]
+Customizing packages
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+It is sometimes useful to apply 'extra' patches to packages - over and
+above those provided in Buildroot. This might be used to support custom
+features in a project, for example, or when working on a new architecture.
+
+The +BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR+ configuration file option can be
+used to specify a directory containing global package patches.
+
+For a specific version <packageversion> of a specific package <packagename>,
+patches are applied as follows.
+
+First, the default Buildroot patch set for the package is applied.
+
+If the directory +$(BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR)/<packagename>/<packageversion>+
+exists, then all +*.patch+ files in the directory will be applied.
+
+Otherwise, if the directory +$(BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR)/<packagename>+
+exists, then all +*.patch+ files in the directory will be applied.
diff --git a/docs/manual/customize.txt b/docs/manual/customize.txt
index 3b1a5a734..0456ef16f 100644
--- a/docs/manual/customize.txt
+++ b/docs/manual/customize.txt
@@ -15,3 +15,5 @@ include::customize-kernel-config.txt[]
 include::customize-toolchain.txt[]
 
 include::customize-store.txt[]
+
+include::customize-packages.txt[]
diff --git a/docs/manual/patch-policy.txt b/docs/manual/patch-policy.txt
index 0f55b26dc..d2250ad0c 100644
--- a/docs/manual/patch-policy.txt
+++ b/docs/manual/patch-policy.txt
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ necessary to patch the source of the software to get it cross-built within
 Buildroot.
 
 Buildroot offers an infrastructure to automatically handle this during
-the builds. It supports two ways of applying patch sets: downloaded patches
-and patches supplied within buildroot.
+the builds. It supports three ways of applying patch sets: downloaded patches,
+patches supplied within buildroot and patches located in a user-defined
+global patch directory.
 
 Providing patches
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -45,6 +46,13 @@ application order.
 reference in their filename.
 - The field +<number>+ in the patch file name refers to the 'apply order'.
 
+Global patch directory
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The +BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR+ configuration file option can be
+used to specify a directory containing global package patches. See
+xref:packages-custom[] for details.
+
 
 How patches are applied
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -57,7 +65,7 @@ How patches are applied
   tarballs are applied;
 
 . If there are some +*.patch+ files in the package directory or in the
-  a package subdirectory named +<packagename>-<packageversion>+, then:
+  a package subdirectory named +<packageversion>+, then:
 +
 * If a +series+ file exists in the package directory, then patches are
   applied according to the +series+ file;