diff --git a/lib/functions/cli/cli-patch.sh b/lib/functions/cli/cli-patch.sh
index 658c4238e..dc539c508 100644
--- a/lib/functions/cli/cli-patch.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/cli/cli-patch.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 function cli_patch_kernel_pre_run() {
 	declare -g ARMBIAN_COMMAND_REQUIRE_BASIC_DEPS="yes" # Require prepare_host_basic to run before the command.
 	declare -g DOCKER_PASS_SSH_AGENT="yes"              # Pass SSH agent to docker
+	declare -g DOCKER_PASS_GIT="yes"                    # mount .git dir to docker; for archeology
+
+	# inside-function-function: a dynamic hook, only triggered if this CLI runs.
+	# install openssh-client, we'll need it to push the patched tree.
+	function add_host_dependencies__ssh_client_for_patch_pushing_over_ssh() {
+		export EXTRA_BUILD_DEPS="${EXTRA_BUILD_DEPS} openssh-client"
+	}
 
 	# "gimme root on a Linux machine"
 	cli_standard_relaunch_docker_or_sudo
@@ -8,13 +15,14 @@ function cli_patch_kernel_pre_run() {
 
 function cli_patch_kernel_run() {
 	display_alert "Patching kernel" "$BRANCH" "info"
-	declare -g SYNC_CLOCK=no      # don't waste time syncing the clock
-	declare -g JUST_KERNEL=yes    # only for kernel.
-	declare -g KERNEL_ONLY=yes    # don't build images
-	declare -g PATCHES_TO_GIT=yes # commit to git.
-	declare -g PATCH_ONLY=yes     # stop after patching.
-	declare -g DEBUG_PATCHING=yes # debug patching.
-	declare -g GIT_ARCHEOLOGY=yes # do archeology
+	declare -g SYNC_CLOCK=no       # don't waste time syncing the clock
+	declare -g JUST_KERNEL=yes     # only for kernel.
+	declare -g KERNEL_ONLY=yes     # don't build images
+	declare -g PATCHES_TO_GIT=yes  # commit to git.
+	declare -g PATCH_ONLY=yes      # stop after patching.
+	declare -g DEBUG_PATCHING=yes  # debug patching.
+	declare -g GIT_ARCHEOLOGY=yes  # do archeology
+	declare -g FAST_ARCHEOLOGY=yes # do archeology, but only for the exact path we need.
 	#declare -g REWRITE_PATCHES=yes # rewrite the patches after git commiting. Very cheap compared to the rest.
 	declare -g KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no # no menuconfig
 	declare -g RELEASE=jammy       # or whatever, not relevant, just fool the configuration
diff --git a/lib/functions/compilation/kernel-patching.sh b/lib/functions/compilation/kernel-patching.sh
index bcf2c1062..e95bf3626 100644
--- a/lib/functions/compilation/kernel-patching.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/compilation/kernel-patching.sh
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ function kernel_main_patching_python() {
 		"BASE_GIT_REVISION=${kernel_git_revision}"                       # The revision we're building/patching. Python will reset and clean to this.
 		"BRANCH_FOR_PATCHES=kernel-${LINUXFAMILY}-${KERNEL_MAJOR_MINOR}" # When applying patches-to-git, use this branch.
 		# Lenience: allow problematic patches to be applied.
-		"ALLOW_RECREATE_EXISTING_FILES=yes"    # Allow patches to recreate files that already exist.
-		"GIT_ARCHEOLOGY=${GIT_ARCHEOLOGY:-no}" # Allow git to do some archaeology to find the original patch's owners
+		"ALLOW_RECREATE_EXISTING_FILES=yes"       # Allow patches to recreate files that already exist.
+		"GIT_ARCHEOLOGY=${GIT_ARCHEOLOGY:-no}"    # Allow git to do some archaeology to find the original patch's owners; used when patching to git/rewriting.
+		"FAST_ARCHEOLOGY=${FAST_ARCHEOLOGY:-yes}" # Does archeology even further by looking for history from other patch files with the same name
 		# Pass the maintainer info, used for commits.
 		"MAINTAINER_NAME=${MAINTAINER}"      # Name of the maintainer
 		"MAINTAINER_EMAIL=${MAINTAINERMAIL}" # Email of the maintainer
diff --git a/lib/functions/compilation/uboot-patching.sh b/lib/functions/compilation/uboot-patching.sh
index 3bbbc21d9..2a909819f 100644
--- a/lib/functions/compilation/uboot-patching.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/compilation/uboot-patching.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ function uboot_main_patching_python() {
 		"GIT_WORK_DIR=${uboot_work_dir}"               # "Where to apply patches?"
 		"BASE_GIT_REVISION=${uboot_git_revision}"      # The revision we're building/patching. Python will reset and clean to this.
 		"BRANCH_FOR_PATCHES=u-boot-${BRANCH}-${BOARD}" # When applying patches-to-git, use this branch.
+		# Lenience: allow problematic patches to be applied.
+		"ALLOW_RECREATE_EXISTING_FILES=yes"       # Allow patches to recreate files that already exist.
+		"GIT_ARCHEOLOGY=${GIT_ARCHEOLOGY:-no}"    # Allow git to do some archaeology to find the original patch's owners; used when patching to git/rewriting.
+		"FAST_ARCHEOLOGY=${FAST_ARCHEOLOGY:-yes}" # Does archeology even further by looking for history from other patch files with the same name
+		# Pass the maintainer info, used for commits.
+		"MAINTAINER_NAME=${MAINTAINER}"      # Name of the maintainer
+		"MAINTAINER_EMAIL=${MAINTAINERMAIL}" # Email of the maintainer
 	)
 	display_alert "Calling Python patching script" "for u-boot target" "info"
 
diff --git a/lib/functions/host/docker.sh b/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
index 3587f61e3..625945d08 100755
--- a/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
@@ -202,6 +202,14 @@ function docker_cli_prepare() {
 		esac
 	fi
 
+	declare un_ignore_dot_git=""
+	declare include_dot_git_dir=""
+	if [[ "${DOCKER_PASS_GIT}" == "yes" ]]; then
+		display_alert "git/docker:" "adding static copy of .git to Dockerfile" "info"
+		un_ignore_dot_git="!.git"
+		include_dot_git_dir="COPY .git ${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/.git"
+	fi
+
 	# Info summary message. Thank you, GitHub Co-pilot!
 	display_alert "Docker info" "Docker ${DOCKER_SERVER_VERSION} Kernel:${DOCKER_SERVER_KERNEL_VERSION} RAM:${DOCKER_SERVER_TOTAL_RAM} CPUs:${DOCKER_SERVER_CPUS} OS:'${DOCKER_SERVER_OS}' hostname '${DOCKER_SERVER_NAME_HOST}' under '${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_HOST_OS_UNAME}' - buildx:${DOCKER_HAS_BUILDX} - loop-hacks:${DOCKER_SERVER_REQUIRES_LOOP_HACKS} static-loops:${DOCKER_SERVER_USE_STATIC_LOOPS}" "sysinfo"
 
@@ -212,7 +220,7 @@ function docker_cli_prepare() {
 		# Start by ignoring everything
 		*
 
-		# Include certain files and directories; mostly the build system, but not other parts.
+		# Include certain files and directories; mostly the build system, and some of the config. when run, those are bind-mounted in.
 		!/VERSION
 		!/LICENSE
 		!/compile.sh
@@ -220,6 +228,7 @@ function docker_cli_prepare() {
 		!/extensions
 		!/config/sources
 		!/config/templates
+		${un_ignore_dot_git}
 
 		# Ignore unnecessary files inside include directories
 		# This should go after the include directories
@@ -250,6 +259,7 @@ function docker_cli_prepare() {
 		${c}RUN echo "--> CACHE MISS IN DOCKERFILE: running Armbian requirements initialization." && \\
 		${c} ARMBIAN_INSIDE_DOCKERFILE_BUILD="yes" /bin/bash "${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/compile.sh" requirements SHOW_LOG=yes && \\
 		${c} rm -rf "${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/output" "${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/.tmp" "${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/cache"
+		${include_dot_git_dir}
 	INITIAL_DOCKERFILE
 	# For debugging: RUN rm -fv /usr/bin/pip3 # Remove pip3 symlink to make sure we're not depending on it; non-Dockers may not have it