diff --git a/pkg/srpmproc/patch.go b/pkg/srpmproc/patch.go
index 26be91d..e5c52c8 100644
--- a/pkg/srpmproc/patch.go
+++ b/pkg/srpmproc/patch.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ package srpmproc
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
+	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -48,10 +48,16 @@ import (
 
 func cfgPatches(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData, patchTree *git.Worktree, pushTree *git.Worktree) error {
 	// check CFG patches
-	_, err := patchTree.Filesystem.Stat("ROCKY/CFG")
+	// use PATCHES directory if it exists otherwise ROCKY/CFG
+	cfgdir := "PATCHES"
+	_, err := patchTree.Filesystem.Stat(cfgdir)
+	if err != nil {
+		cfgdir = "ROCKY/CFG"
+	}
+	_, err = patchTree.Filesystem.Stat(cfgdir)
 	if err == nil {
 		// iterate through patches
-		infos, err := patchTree.Filesystem.ReadDir("ROCKY/CFG")
+		infos, err := patchTree.Filesystem.ReadDir(cfgdir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not walk patches: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -63,12 +69,12 @@ func cfgPatches(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData, patchTree *git.Worktree
 			}
 
 			pd.Log.Printf("applying directive %s", info.Name())
-			filePath := filepath.Join("ROCKY/CFG", info.Name())
+			filePath := filepath.Join(cfgdir, info.Name())
 			directive, err := patchTree.Filesystem.Open(filePath)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("could not open directive file %s: %v", info.Name(), err)
 			}
-			directiveBytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(directive)
+			directiveBytes, err := io.ReadAll(directive)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("could not read directive file: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -96,7 +102,12 @@ func cfgPatches(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData, patchTree *git.Worktree
 
 func applyPatches(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData, patchTree *git.Worktree, pushTree *git.Worktree) error {
 	// check if patches exist
-	_, err := patchTree.Filesystem.Stat("ROCKY")
+	cfgdir := "PATCHES"
+	_, err := patchTree.Filesystem.Stat(cfgdir)
+	if err != nil {
+		cfgdir = "ROCKY"
+	}
+	_, err = patchTree.Filesystem.Stat(cfgdir)
 	if err == nil {
 		err := cfgPatches(pd, md, patchTree, pushTree)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -315,7 +326,7 @@ func patchModuleYaml(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	content, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+	content, err := io.ReadAll(f)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not read modulemd file: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/srpmproc/process.go b/pkg/srpmproc/process.go
index fa99479..04afc01 100644
--- a/pkg/srpmproc/process.go
+++ b/pkg/srpmproc/process.go
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ func ProcessRPM(pd *data.ProcessData) (*srpmprocpb.ProcessResponse, error) {
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not open ignored source file %s: %v", sourcePath, err)
 			}
-			sourceFileBts, err := ioutil.ReadAll(sourceFile)
+			sourceFileBts, err := io.ReadAll(sourceFile)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not read the whole of ignored source file: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ func processLookasideSources(pd *data.ProcessData, md *data.ModeData, localDir s
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not open ignored source file %s: %v", sourcePath, err)
 		}
-		sourceFileBts, err := ioutil.ReadAll(sourceFile)
+		sourceFileBts, err := io.ReadAll(sourceFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not read the whole of ignored source file: %v", err)
 		}