diff --git a/scripts/generate-patched-kernel b/scripts/generate-patched-kernel
index e89b7187b..50471983e 100755
--- a/scripts/generate-patched-kernel
+++ b/scripts/generate-patched-kernel
@@ -104,8 +104,10 @@ cd "${target}" || exit $?
 
 tar --strip-components=1 -xjf "${kernel_sources}/linux-${kernel_version}.tar.bz2"
 
-echo "==== ${kernel_sources}/patch-$1.bz2"
-bzip2 -cd < "${kernel_sources}/patch-$1.bz2" | patch -s -p1
+if [ ! -z "$patchlevel" ]; then
+  echo "==== ${kernel_sources}/patch-$1.bz2"
+  bzip2 -cd < "${kernel_sources}/patch-$1.bz2" | patch -s -p1
+fi
 
 svn status -v "$(dirname "$(dirname "$scriptname")")" \
 | grep -v '^Performing' \