This package uses dpatch for modifications to upstream files. While you may make changes directly for NMU purposes etc, it would be appreciated if NMUers would make any such changes using dpatch as well. To edit an existing patch, or create a new one, simply do: dpatch-edit-patch The patch will be placed in debian/patches. If you are creating a new one, you will also need to add it to debian/patches/00list. You can obtain the patched source, or remove the applied patches, with the debian/rules 'patch' and 'unpatch' targets. debian/rules clean will invoke unpatch automatically.