diff --git a/openwrt/scripts/patch-kernel.sh b/openwrt/scripts/patch-kernel.sh
index 79401c2a74f..5455a0cf8d5 100755
--- a/openwrt/scripts/patch-kernel.sh
+++ b/openwrt/scripts/patch-kernel.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ for i in ${patchdir}/${patchpattern} ; do
 	*)
 	type="plaintext"; uncomp="cat"; ;; 
     esac
+    [ -d "${i}" ] && echo "Ignoring subdirectory ${i}" && continue	
     echo ""
     echo "Applying ${i} using ${type}: " 
     ${uncomp} ${i} | patch -p1 -E -d ${targetdir}