diff --git a/build_library/build_image_util.sh b/build_library/build_image_util.sh
index e451b5b6ba8..9992c7d4c20 100755
--- a/build_library/build_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/build_image_util.sh
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ start_image() {
   mkdir -p "${BUILD_DIR}"/configroot/etc/portage/profile
   ln -s "${BOARD_ROOT}"/etc/portage/make.* \
       "${BOARD_ROOT}"/etc/portage/package.* \
+      "${BOARD_ROOT}"/etc/portage/patches \
       "${BOARD_ROOT}"/etc/portage/repos.conf \
       "${BUILD_DIR}"/configroot/etc/portage/