diff --git a/doc/stdenv/stdenv.xml b/doc/stdenv/stdenv.xml
index 1e97bf6157bb..78e71b032d7d 100644
--- a/doc/stdenv/stdenv.xml
+++ b/doc/stdenv/stdenv.xml
@@ -727,6 +727,16 @@ passthru.updateScript = [ ../../update.sh pname "--requested-release=unstable" ]
 
    <variablelist>
     <title>Variables controlling the patch phase</title>
+    <varlistentry>
+     <term>
+      <varname>dontPatch</varname>
+     </term>
+     <listitem>
+      <para>
+       Set to true to skip the patch phase.
+      </para>
+     </listitem>
+    </varlistentry>
     <varlistentry>
      <term>
       <varname>patches</varname>
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index ad52c8e5a7c9..839757945a2b 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -1266,6 +1266,7 @@ genericBuild() {
 
     for curPhase in $phases; do
         if [[ "$curPhase" = unpackPhase && -n "${dontUnpack:-}" ]]; then continue; fi
+        if [[ "$curPhase" = patchPhase && -n "${dontPatch:-}" ]]; then continue; fi
         if [[ "$curPhase" = configurePhase && -n "${dontConfigure:-}" ]]; then continue; fi
         if [[ "$curPhase" = buildPhase && -n "${dontBuild:-}" ]]; then continue; fi
         if [[ "$curPhase" = checkPhase && -z "${doCheck:-}" ]]; then continue; fi