diff --git a/anvil/action.py b/anvil/action.py
index 85ab0ea7..a6ed69cc 100644
--- a/anvil/action.py
+++ b/anvil/action.py
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ class Action(object):
                 LOG.debug("Skipping phase named %r for component %r since it already happened.", phase_name, c)
                 change_activate(instance, True)
                 component_results[c] = None
+                for n in neg_phase_recs:
+                    n.unmark(c)
             else:
                 try:
                     result = None
diff --git a/anvil/actions/install.py b/anvil/actions/install.py
index 5154b1e6..f737808c 100644
--- a/anvil/actions/install.py
+++ b/anvil/actions/install.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
                                logger=LOG)
 
     def _run(self, persona, component_order, instances):
+        removals = []
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Downloading %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -64,8 +65,22 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             ),
             component_order,
             instances,
-            "download"
+            "download",
+            *removals
             )
+        self._run_phase(
+            PhaseFunctors(
+                start=lambda i: LOG.info('Post-download patching %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
+                run=lambda i: i.patch("download"),
+                end=None,
+            ),
+            component_order,
+            instances,
+            "download-patch",
+            *removals
+            )
+
+        removals += ['uninstall', 'unconfigure']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Configuring %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -75,7 +90,7 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "configure",
-            'unconfigure'
+            *removals
             )
 
         if self.only_configure:
@@ -85,6 +100,7 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             LOG.info("Exiting early, only asked to download and configure!")
             return
 
+        removals += ['pre-uninstall', 'post-uninstall']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Preinstalling %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -93,7 +109,8 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             ),
             component_order,
             instances,
-            "pre-install"
+            "pre-install",
+            *removals
             )
 
         def install_start(instance):
@@ -120,7 +137,7 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "install",
-            'uninstall'
+            *removals
             )
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
@@ -131,5 +148,5 @@ class InstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "post-install",
-            'uninstall', 'unconfigure', 'pre-uninstall', 'post-uninstall'
+            *removals
             )
diff --git a/anvil/actions/start.py b/anvil/actions/start.py
index 070c9848..34b1b8d3 100644
--- a/anvil/actions/start.py
+++ b/anvil/actions/start.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class StartAction(action.Action):
         return 'running'
 
     def _run(self, persona, component_order, instances):
+        removals = []
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=None,
@@ -38,7 +39,9 @@ class StartAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "pre-start",
+            *removals
             )
+        removals += ['stopped']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Starting %s.', i.name),
@@ -48,7 +51,7 @@ class StartAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "start",
-            'stopped'
+            *removals
             )
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
@@ -59,5 +62,5 @@ class StartAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "post-start",
-            'stopped'
+            *removals
             )
diff --git a/anvil/actions/stop.py b/anvil/actions/stop.py
index 3835d78e..e4a2beff 100644
--- a/anvil/actions/stop.py
+++ b/anvil/actions/stop.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class StopAction(action.Action):
         return components
 
     def _run(self, persona, component_order, instances):
+        removals = ['pre-start', 'start', 'post-start']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Stopping %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -43,5 +44,5 @@ class StopAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             "stopped",
-            'pre-start', 'start', 'post-start'
+            *removals
             )
diff --git a/anvil/actions/uninstall.py b/anvil/actions/uninstall.py
index 1ba7d2b0..2fbfd73a 100644
--- a/anvil/actions/uninstall.py
+++ b/anvil/actions/uninstall.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class UninstallAction(action.Action):
         return components
 
     def _run(self, persona, component_order, instances):
+        removals = ['configure']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Unconfiguring %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -43,8 +44,9 @@ class UninstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             'unconfigure',
-            'configure'
+            *removals
             )
+        removals += ['post-install']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=None,
@@ -54,8 +56,9 @@ class UninstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             'pre-uninstall',
-            'post-install'
+            *removals
             )
+        removals += ['install']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Uninstalling %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -65,8 +68,9 @@ class UninstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             'uninstall',
-            'install'
+            *removals
             )
+        removals += ['download', 'configure', "download-patch", 'pre-install', 'post-install']
         self._run_phase(
             PhaseFunctors(
                 start=lambda i: LOG.info('Post-uninstalling %s.', colorizer.quote(i.name)),
@@ -76,5 +80,5 @@ class UninstallAction(action.Action):
             component_order,
             instances,
             'post-uninstall',
-            'download', 'configure', 'pre-install', 'install', 'post-install'
+            *removals
             )
diff --git a/anvil/components/__init__.py b/anvil/components/__init__.py
index 15b282f6..673fd3d3 100644
--- a/anvil/components/__init__.py
+++ b/anvil/components/__init__.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from anvil import exceptions as excp
 from anvil import importer
 from anvil import log as logging
 from anvil import packager
+from anvil import patcher
 from anvil import shell as sh
 from anvil import trace as tr
 from anvil import utils
@@ -121,6 +122,20 @@ class PkgInstallComponent(component.Component):
             down.download(self.distro, from_uri, target_dir)
             return uris
 
+    def patch(self, section):
+        what_patches = self.get_option('patches', section)
+        (_from_uri, target_dir) = self._get_download_location()
+        if not what_patches:
+            what_patches = []
+        canon_what_patches = []
+        for path in what_patches:
+            if sh.isdir(path):
+                canon_what_patches.extend(sh.listdir(path, files_only=True))
+            elif sh.isfile(path):
+                canon_what_patches.append(path)
+        if canon_what_patches:
+            patcher.apply_patches(canon_what_patches, target_dir)
+
     def config_params(self, config_fn):
         mp = dict(self.params)
         if config_fn:
diff --git a/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py b/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py
index 1694e33a..5ade1ec8 100644
--- a/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py
+++ b/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py
@@ -28,12 +28,19 @@ import textwrap
 
 import iso8601
 
+from anvil import log as logging
 from anvil import shell as sh
 from anvil import utils
 
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 PER_CALL_AM = 50
 
 
+def translate_utf8(text):
+    return text.decode('utf8').encode('ascii', 'replace')
+
+
 class GitChangeLog(object):
     __meta__ = abc.ABCMeta
 
@@ -71,6 +78,12 @@ class GitChangeLog(object):
         return self.date_buckets
 
     def _skip_entry(self, summary, date, email, name):
+        for f in [summary, name, email]:
+            try:
+                translate_utf8(f)
+            except UnicodeError:
+                LOG.warn("Non-utf8 field %s found", f)
+                return True
         email = email.lower().strip()
         if email in ['jenkins@review.openstack.org']:
             return True
@@ -118,10 +131,10 @@ class GitChangeLog(object):
                     if self._skip_entry(summary, date, author_email, author_name):
                         continue
                     log.append({
-                        'summary': summary,
+                        'summary': translate_utf8(summary),
                         'when': date,
-                        'author_email': author_email,
-                        'author_name': author_name,
+                        'author_email': translate_utf8(author_email),
+                        'author_name': translate_utf8(author_name),
                     })
 
         # Bucketize the dates by day
@@ -158,7 +171,4 @@ class RpmChangeLog(GitChangeLog):
                     if len(sublines) > 1:
                         for subline in sublines[1:]:
                             lines.append("  %s" % subline)
-        # Replace utf8 oddities with ? just incase
-        contents = "\n".join(lines)
-        contents = contents.decode('utf8').encode('ascii', 'replace')
-        return contents
+        return "\n".join(lines)
diff --git a/anvil/packaging/rpm.py b/anvil/packaging/rpm.py
index afb5e745..b39b35cc 100644
--- a/anvil/packaging/rpm.py
+++ b/anvil/packaging/rpm.py
@@ -54,6 +54,23 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
             self._build_paths = bpaths
         return dict(self._build_paths)
 
+    def _patches(self):
+        your_patches = []
+        in_patches = self.get_option('patches', 'package')
+        if in_patches:
+            for path in in_patches:
+                path = sh.abspth(path)
+                if sh.isdir(path):
+                    for c_path in sh.listdir(path, files_only=True):
+                        tgt_fn = sh.joinpths(self.build_paths['sources'], sh.basename(c_path))
+                        sh.copy(c_path, tgt_fn)
+                        your_patches.append(sh.basename(tgt_fn))
+                else:
+                    tgt_fn = sh.joinpths(self.build_paths['sources'], sh.basename(path))
+                    sh.copy(path, tgt_fn)
+                    your_patches.append(sh.basename(tgt_fn))
+        return your_patches
+
     def _requirements(self):
         return {
             'install': self._install_requirements(),
@@ -142,6 +159,7 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
             'build': self._build_details(),
             'who': sh.getuser(),
             'date': utils.iso8601(),
+            'patches': self._patches(),
             'details': self.details,
         }
         (_fn, content) = utils.load_template('packaging', 'spec.tmpl')
diff --git a/anvil/patcher.py b/anvil/patcher.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca144144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anvil/patcher.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+#    Copyright (C) 2012 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+from anvil import log as logging
+from anvil import shell as sh
+from anvil import utils
+
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# TODO(harlowja): use git patching vs. raw patching??
+PATCH_CMD = ['patch', '-p1']
+
+
+def apply_patches(patch_files, working_dir):
+    if not patch_files:
+        return
+    apply_files = []
+    for p in patch_files:
+        p = sh.abspth(p)
+        if not sh.isfile(p):
+            LOG.warn("Can not apply non-file patch %s", p)
+        apply_files.append(p)
+    if not apply_files:
+        return
+    if not sh.isdir(working_dir):
+        LOG.warn("Can only apply %s patches 'inside' a directory and not '%s'",
+                 len(apply_files), working_dir)
+        return
+    with utils.chdir(working_dir):
+        for p in apply_files:
+            LOG.debug("Applying patch %s in directory %s", p, working_dir)
+            patch_contents = sh.load_file(p)
+            if patch_contents:
+                sh.execute(*PATCH_CMD, process_input=patch_contents)
diff --git a/anvil/shell.py b/anvil/shell.py
index c26da89d..71387e48 100644
--- a/anvil/shell.py
+++ b/anvil/shell.py
@@ -254,8 +254,23 @@ def fileperms(path):
     return (os.stat(path).st_mode & 0777)
 
 
-def listdir(path):
-    return os.listdir(path)
+def listdir(path, recursive=False, dirs_only=False, files_only=False):
+    path = abspth(path)
+    all_contents = []
+    if not recursive:
+        all_contents = os.listdir(path)
+        all_contents = [os.path.join(path, f) for f in all_contents]
+    else:
+        for (root, dirs, files) in os.walk(path):
+            for d in dirs:
+                all_contents.append(joinpths(root, d))
+            for f in files:
+                all_contents.append(joinpths(root, f))
+    if dirs_only:
+        all_contents = [f for f in all_contents if isdir(f)]
+    if files_only:
+        all_contents = [f for f in all_contents if isfile(f)]
+    return all_contents
 
 
 def isfile(fn):
diff --git a/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl b/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
index 553115c9..84842c98 100644
--- a/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
+++ b/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
@@ -85,6 +85,13 @@ Requires: ${i}
 #end for
 #end if
 
+# Custom patches
+#set $size = 0
+#for $p in $patches
+Patch${size}: $p
+#set $size += 1
+#end for
+
 %description
 #if $details.description
 $details.description
@@ -98,6 +105,13 @@ $details.summary
 %setup $build.setup
 #end if
 
+# Custom patches activation
+#set $size = 0
+#for $p in $patches
+%patch${size} -p1
+#set $size += 1
+#end for
+
 #if $build.has_key('action')
 %build
 $build.action
diff --git a/smithy b/smithy
index 611d74e5..a25ba1ac 100755
--- a/smithy
+++ b/smithy
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ fi
 
 shopt -s nocasematch
 
+# Possible locations of the epel rpm/list url
+RHEL_VERSION=$(lsb_release  -r  | awk '{ print $2 }' | cut -d"." -f1)
+EPEL_RPM_LIST="http://mirrors.kernel.org/fedora-epel/$RHEL_VERSION/i386"
+NODE_RPM_URL="http://nodejs.tchol.org/repocfg/el/nodejs-stable-release.noarch.rpm"
+
 ARGS="$@"
 VER=$(python -c "from anvil import version; print version.version_string()")
 PWD=`pwd`
@@ -41,39 +46,41 @@ bootstrap_rh()
     echo "Please wait..."
 
     echo "Installing node.js yum repository configuration."
-    JS_REPO_RPM_FN="nodejs-stable-release.noarch.rpm"
+    JS_REPO_RPM_FN=$(basename $NODE_RPM_URL)
     if [ ! -f "/tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN" ]; then
-        echo "Downloading $JS_REPO_RPM_FN"
-        wget -q -O "/tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN" "http://nodejs.tchol.org/repocfg/el/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN"
+        echo "Downloading $JS_REPO_RPM_FN to /tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN..."
+        wget -q -O "/tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN" "$NODE_RPM_URL"
         if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
             return 1
         fi
     fi
-    echo "Installing /tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN."
+    echo "Installing /tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN..."
     yum install --assumeyes --nogpgcheck -t "/tmp/$JS_REPO_RPM_FN" 2>&1
 
-    echo "Locating the EPEL rpm."
-    EPEL_RPM=$(curl -s "http://mirrors.kernel.org/fedora-epel/6/i386/" | grep -io ">\s*epel.*.rpm\s*<" | grep -io "epel.*.rpm")
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-        return 1
-    fi
-    if [ ! -f "/tmp/$EPEL_RPM" ]; then
-        echo "Downloading $EPEL_RPM."
-        wget -q -O "/tmp/$EPEL_RPM" "http://mirrors.kernel.org/fedora-epel/6/i386/$EPEL_RPM"
+    echo "Locating the EPEL rpm..."
+    if [ -z "$EPEL_RPM" ]; then
+        EPEL_RPM=$(curl -s "$EPEL_RPM_LIST/" | grep -io ">\s*epel.*.rpm\s*<" | grep -io "epel.*.rpm")
         if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
             return 1
         fi
     fi
-    echo "Installing /tmp/$EPEL_RPM."
+    if [ ! -f "/tmp/$EPEL_RPM" ]; then
+        echo "Downloading $EPEL_RPM to /tmp/$EPEL_RPM"
+        wget -q -O "/tmp/$EPEL_RPM" "$EPEL_RPM_LIST/$EPEL_RPM"
+        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
+    echo "Installing /tmp/$EPEL_RPM..."
     yum install --assumeyes --nogpgcheck -t "/tmp/$EPEL_RPM" 2>&1
 
-    echo "Installing needed distribution dependencies:"
+    echo "Installing distribution dependencies..."
     pkgs="gcc git pylint python python-netifaces python-pep8 python-cheetah"
     pkgs="$pkgs python-pip python-progressbar PyYAML python-ordereddict python-iso8601"
     yum install -y $pkgs 2>&1
 
-    echo "Installing needed pypi dependencies:"
-    pip-python install -U -I termcolor iniparse "keyring==0.9.2"
+    echo "Installing pypi dependencies..."
+    pip-python install -U -I termcolor iniparse "keyring>=0.9.2"
     return 0
 }